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"In facial skin samples of electrohypersensitive persons, the most common
finding is a profound increase of mast cells. Nowadays we do not only use
histamine, but also other mast cell markers such as chymase and tryptase,
but the pattern is still the same as reported previously for other
electrohypersensitive persons (Johansson and Liu, 1995). From these
studies, it is clear that the number of mast cells in the upper dermis is
increased in the EHS group. A different pattern of mast cell distribution
also occurred in the EHS group, namely, the normally empty zone between
the dermo-epidermal junction and mid-to-upper dermis disappeared in the EHS
group and, instead, this zone had a high density of mast cell infiltration.
These cells also seemed to have a tendency to migrate towards the epidermis
(=epidermiotrophism) and many of them emptied their granular content
(=degranulation) in the dermal papillary layer. Furthermore, more
degranulated mast cells could be seen in the dermal reticular layer in the
EHS group, especially in those cases which had the mast cell
epidermiotrophism phenomenon described above. Finally, in the EHS group,
the cytoplasmic granules were more densely distributed and more strongly
stained than in the control group, and, generally, the size of the
infiltrating mast cells was found to be larger in the EHS group as well. It
should be noted, that increases of similar nature later on were
demonstrated in an experimental situation employing normal healthy
volunteers in front of visual display units, including ordinary house-hold
television sets (Johansson et al., 2001)."
"A major group of these persons are the
users of video display terminals, who claim to have subjective and
objective skin- and mucosa-related symptoms, such as pain, itch, heat
sensation, erythema, papules, and pustules.
"
The high number of mast cells present in the EHS
group and the possible release of specific substances, such as histamine,
may explain their clinical symptoms of itch, pain, edema and erythema. The
most remarkable change among cutaneous cells, after exposure with the
above-mentioned irradiation sources, is the disappearance of the
Langerhans' cells.
"
"
The release of inflammatory substances, such as histamine, from mast cells in the skin
results in a local erythema, edema and sensation of itch and pain, and the
release of somatostatin from the dendritic cells may give rise to
subjective sensations of on-going inflammation and sensitivity to ordinary
light.
"
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