Tubular aggregates in skeletal muscle of chronic alcoholic patients.

The presence of tubular aggregates (TA) in type II muscle fibers in two of 20 alcoholic patients with chronic liver disease, and with no apparent neuromuscular disorder, is reported. The localization, histochemical reactions, and ultrastructural features of the TA are similar to those previously described in other conditions. In one of the two cases TA were demonstrated by E/M observations only and not by histochemistry. No correlations were found between the biochemical changes and the presence of tubular aggregates. We believe that TA are long-standing structures since the muscle biopsies were performed 12 and 13 days after the ingestion of alcohol had been discontinued. They may represent a non-specific response of the sarcoplasmic reticulum to compensate for the deficient calcium uptake reported in alcoholic patients.