[Histochemical study of fat in erythema nodosum]

Histochemical study of fat in the adipocytes of the subcutaneous adipose tissue in 12 patients with erythema nodosum revealed an upset balance of the oxidation process in fat and accumulation of free peroxide and aldehyde groups. The imbalance in the oxidation processes in the adipocytes in the areas of hemorrhages is apparently associated with haemin catalysis. The accumulation of incomplete oxidation products in lesions is believed to be a local process caused by pathological changes in the blood vessels. The toxicity of the products of peroxide oxidation should be taken into consideration in treating patients with erythema nodosum.