Increased Adventitial Mast Cells in a Patient with Coronary Spasm

Abstract

ALTHOUGH coronary spasm is an important component of a number of ischemic cardiac syndromes,^{1 2 3 4 5 6} its cause or causes remain ill-defined. Numerous hypotheses have been considered to explain the mechanisms producing focal vascular hyperreactivity. Our investigations of the autonomic nervous system, and both measurement of thromboxane A₂ metabolites and treatment with potent cyclooxygenase inhibitors failed to support the role of thromboxanes in the pathogenesis of coronary spasm.^{7 8 9 10} Accordingly, we studied the possibility that cellular infiltration of the vessel wall could be a source of vasoconstrictor factors,¹¹ and have now examined coronary vessels in a patient with well-characterized coronary spasm and . . .