Seronegative Atypical Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Glomerulonephritis Associated With Thrombotic Microangiopathy: Case Report and Literature Analysis.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody nephritis is defined by linear immunofluorescence staining of GBM by immunoglobulin G (IgG), typically associated with GBM rupture, fibrinoid necrosis, and crescent formation. Clinically, the patients present with rapidly worsening renal function, often with hematuria. Typical renal pathologic findings include necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. In contrast, thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microvascular thrombosis, which can also lead to acute kidney injury. Thrombotic microangiopathy is associated with some systemic diseases and has characteristic clinical features of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, platelet consumption, and multiple organ failure. Anti-GBM nephritis associated with TMA has rarely been reported. We describe an unusual case of atypical anti-GBM disease without crescent formation or necrosis but with light microscopic and ultrastructural features consistent with endothelial cell injury and glomerular-limited TMA.

An Uncommon Presentation of Vasopressin-Induced Purpura Fulminans.

Purpura fulminans (PF) is a rarely encountered rapidly evolving dermatological manifestation of ischemia, particularly in critically ill patients. Considered one of the very few dermatological emergencies, it has high mortality rate where patients often succumb to the illness. It can manifest in three forms: neonatal, idiopathic, and the more commonly infectious variety, which can be secondary to mostly bacterial and rarely viral etiology. It is also reported to be highly associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and acute hepatic failure (AHF). Hereditary or acquired deficiency of protein C and dysregulation of the coagulation cascade, mainly protein C-thrombomodulin, has been implicated in the pathogenesis. We present a 55-year-old male admitted to the intensive care unit for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and septic shock. Along with initiating management protocol for DKA and broad-spectrum antibiotics, he was initially started on norepinephrine for septic shock. Because of persistent refractory septic shock, he was subsequently initiated on phenylephrine and vasopressin to maintain adequate perfusion. The following day, he was found to have sharply demarcated blackish non-blanching discoloration on bilateral knees, lower limbs, and scrotum, sparing the acral regions. This cutaneous manifestation persisted throughout his hospital course, although it improved after discontinuation of vasopressin while continuing with other pressors. Vasopressin has been implicated in a few instances of skin necrosis; however, PF has rarely been documented and never within 1 day like ours. This case demonstrates a unique development of PF likely from vasopressin after ruling out the diagnoses of DIC, HIT, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and AHF.

Megadose Vitamin C Prescription Through Alternative Medicine Leading to End-Stage Renal Disease: Case Study and Literature Review.

Modern medicine has made tremendous advancements and succeeded in increasing longevity through adequate screening and diagnosis and various new therapeutic approaches. However, alternative medicine is a branch of health care practicing different traditional and unconventional, potentially hazardous therapies to treat commonly known ailments. Standard low-dose vitamin C, ie, 500-1000 mg, is approved in medical conditions like methemoglobinemia, scurvy, burns and also helps iron absorption in anemia. However, toxic doses carry high nephrotoxicity potential like in our case. We present a 74-year-old Caucasian female falling victim to one such alternative therapy leading to acute kidney injury requiring lifelong hemodialysis. She had endometrial cancer and received 100 gm of intravenous vitamin C weekly through a provider for the last 6 weeks as part of this alternate approach to cure her cancer. Upon admission, the serum creatinine level was elevated at 8.2 mg/dl, which subsequently did not improve with conservative management. Renal biopsy revealed diffuse acute tubular injury with polarized microscopy demonstrating calcium oxalate crystals. While her blood vitamin C levels were high, the serum oxalate level was normal. She ended up requiring renal replacement therapy permanently. Alternative medicine continues to be a significant health care hazard with the potential to cause unwanted irreversible nephrotoxicity. Public attention is necessary at various social levels to counter the detrimental outcomes of alternative medicine.

Incidental detection of operational tolerance in a deceased donor kidney transplant recipient lost to follow-up for more than 10 years: A case report and literature review.

Graft tolerance is a clinical state of absence of an immune response in the recipient toward a donor allograft without any exogenous immunosuppression. Although more prevalent in liver transplantation recipients, it has rarely been reported in renal transplant recipients. We present a 62-year-old deceased donor kidney transplant recipient who exhibited operational tolerance as they stopped immunosuppressant medications for more than 10 years and yet demonstrated stable graft function. Although various hypotheses, such as deletion, anergy, immunoregulation, and clonal exhaustion, have been experimentally validated, clinical "operational tolerance" of a renal allograft on a prolonged basis has been infrequently reported in the medical literature. This review intends to highlight possible etiologies and make clinicians aware of this possible rare condition to which more research is needed.

Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Mortality in Obese African-Americans with COVID-19: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to add to the body of evidence linking obesity as an established risk factor for COVID-19 infection and also look at predictors of mortality for COVID-19 in the African-Americans (AA) population. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection was done in a community hospital in New York City. The cohort was divided into two groups, with the non-obese group having a BMI < 30 kg/m2 and the obese group with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Clinical predictors of mortality were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 469 (AA) patients included in the study, 56.3% (n = 264) had a BMI < 30 kg/m2 and 43.7% (n = 205) had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Most common comorbidities were hypertension (n = 304, 64.8%), diabetes (n = 200, 42.6%), and dyslipidemia (n = 74, 15.8%). Cough, fever/chills, and shortness of breath had a higher percentage of occurring in the obese group (67.8 vs. 55.7%, p = 0.008; 58.0 vs. 46.2%, p = 0.011; 72.2 vs. 59.8%, p = 0.005, respectively). In-hospital mortality (41.5 vs. 25.4%, p < 0.001) and mechanical ventilation rates (34.6 vs. 22.7%, p = 0.004) were also greater for the obese group. Advanced age (p = 0.034), elevated sodium levels (p = 0.04), and elevated levels of AST (0.012) were associated with an increase in likelihood of in-hospital mortality in obese group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that having a BMI that is ≥ 30 kg/m2 is a significant risk factor in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. These results highlight the need for caution when managing obese individuals.

Rhizobium radiobacter-Induced Peritonitis: A Case Report and Literature Analysis.

Rhizobium radiobacter (R. radiobacter) is a gram-negative bacterium, primarily a soil contaminant and rarely pathogenic to humans. Only a few cases of peritonitis secondary to R. radiobacter have been reported worldwide. A 66-year-old male with end-stage renal disease who was on peritoneal dialysis (PD) developed R. radiobacter-induced peritonitis. We have treated the infection successfully with intraperitoneal antibiotics and managed to keep his PD catheter intact without interruption in PD treatment. More prolonged antibiotic therapy and frequent clinical follow-up is required to treat this infection. Better clinician awareness is needed to prevent this rare infection.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis and COVID-19: A Case Series From an Inner-City Community Teaching Hospital in New York.

INTRODUCTION: Throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, studies have repeatedly shown that COVID-19 outcomes are more severe in the elderly and those with comorbidities, with diabetes being a significant risk factor associated with more severe infection. Here, we present the clinical characteristics of 25 patients with pre-existing type 2 diabetes mellitus who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and COVID-19 in a community hospital in Brooklyn, New York, and identify possible predictors of mortality. METHODS: This retrospective case series recruited patients from March 1st to April 9th, 2020, with lab-confirmed COVID-19 and met DKA criteria on admission (based on American Diabetes Association diagnostic criteria for DKA). RESULTS: Of the 25 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 22 were African American and three were Hispanic. Common comorbidities in addition to diabetes were hypertension, obesity, coronary artery disease, and dyslipidemia. Fever, cough, myalgias, and shortness of breath were common presenting symptoms. Most patients had elevated inflammatory markers erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and ferritin, but higher values increased the odds of mortality. The overall survival was 64%, with those recovering having more extended hospital stays but requiring less time in the intensive care unit. At the same time, those who died were more likely to require mechanical ventilation, have an acute cardiac injury, and/or be obese. Despite numerous studies on COVID and diabetes, only a few studies described DKA. CONCLUSION: This observational retrospective study illustrated that patients with diabetes are at risk of developing DKA with COVID-19 and identified some predictors of mortality. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and a control group are necessary to understand better the effects of COVID-19 on DKA and their clinical outcomes.

Acute Interstitial Nephritis Induced by Clozapine.

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) classically presents as acute kidney injury most often induced by offending drugs. Less frequently it is secondary to infections, autoimmune disorders, or idiopathic conditions. Development of drug-related AIN is not dose dependent and a recurrence can occur with re-exposure to the drug. We present a 50-year-old male with treatment resistant schizoaffective disorder who developed clozapine-induced AIN, confirmed with kidney biopsy within 2 months of taking this medication. His kidney function improved with removal of the drug and treatment with steroids. However, his kidney function was again significantly impaired when rechallenged with even a lower dose of clozapine a year later. Kidney function returned to baseline after stopping clozapine. Monitoring of kidney function during clozapine therapy is essential to therapy. Prompt diagnosis is imperative as discontinuation of offending agent can prevent acute kidney injury.

Brevibacterium casei Induced Peritonitis in a Patient Undergoing Continuous Cycler Peritoneal Dialysis: Case Report and Literature Review.

Brevibacterium casei is an extremely rare organism that can lead to peritonitis in End-stage renal disease patients of peritoneal dialysis. Out of only five overall Brevibacterium species peritonitis reported worldwide, only two of them had B. casei subspecies peritonitis detected, with both needing peritoneal dialysis catheter removal and change in dialysis modality to hemodialysis. Our patient, an elderly 63-year-old Hispanic male, was on peritoneal dialysis at home and presented with features suggestive of peritonitis. He was diagnosed subsequently with B. casei and started on broad spectrum intraperitoneal antibiotics. However, he did not need dialysis modality change and recovered fully after 3 weeks of appropriate intraperitoneal antibiotics therapy. Longer antibiotics therapy and frequent clinical follow-up plus better clinician awareness are needed to prevent this rare infection.

COVID-19 and Aortic Thrombosis: A Case Report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is known to cause a myriad of symptoms ranging from mild respiratory illness to severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress. Since its discovery in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, the virus has caused a devastating worldwide pandemic. Although COVID-19 most commonly causes respiratory symptoms, complications such as hypercoagulability are now known to occur in some patients. In this case report, we present a COVID-19 patient that suffered a stroke and was found to have an aortic thrombus. In this case report, we discussed hypercoagulability, venous and arterial thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. We hope to highlight the importance of monitoring laboratory markers of hypercoagulability and thromboembolism symptoms in COVID-19 patients and encourage appropriate prophylaxis and treatment with anticoagulants when necessary. It is unclear whether or not a causal relationship exists given the nature of the syndrome. However, given the growing number of reported cases physicians should maintain awareness of this possible complication when evaluating COVID-19 patients.

Hepatitis B-Associated Lupus-Like Glomerulonephritis Successfully Treated With Antiretroviral Drugs and Prednisone: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Kidney involvement with hepatitis B virus is varied and mostly limited to nephrotic syndrome with membranous nephropathy and nephritic syndrome with membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis. Lupus nephritis is associated with nephritic or nephrotic range proteinuria with most common finding of sub-endothelial electron-dense deposits and immunological stain demonstrating full-house picture with all immunological marker staining. Our case discusses a young male patient presenting with rapidly worsening renal function along with proteinuria, found to be positive for both hepatitis B core antibody along with hepatitis B surface antibody plus positive anti-neutrophilic antibody but negative anti-double-stranded DNA. Kidney biopsy demonstrated hepatitis B-associated lupus-like glomerulonephritis. He responded successfully with antiretroviral therapy and high-dose prednisone. Patient did not need lupus-specific treatment and recovered with antiretroviral therapy only. Hepatitis B-associated lupus-like glomerulonephritis has rarely been reported and possess a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to all nephrologists.

Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the current standard of care in stage IV bladder cancer. It has increased overall survival but rarely results in complete remission, with an overall survival of 14-15 months. The most significant breakthrough in cancer therapy over the last decade was the development of immunotherapy. DATA SOURCES: KEYNOTE-045, IMvigor211, CheckMate275, Javelin Solid Tumor, MEDI4736, and KEYNOTE-0528 clinical trials. AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY: There are ongoing clinical trials using combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy as first line of therapy in the setting of metastatic urothelial cancer and also to determine the duration of treatment. THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES: Immunotherapy is approved as a second-line treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer. Their use as a first-line agent is only limited to patients who are ineligible for cisplatin-based treatments. Five drugs are approved by Food and Drug Administration for metastatic urothelial cancer including 3 Programmed cell-death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors and 2 programmed cell-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in patients who have progressed during or after platinum-based therapy. Pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and atezolizumab are PD-1 inhibitors. Durvalumab and avelumab are PD-L1 inhibitors. However, only 2 drugs were approved based on phase III clinical trials-pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, of which only KEYNOTE study performed with pembrolizumab showed overall survival difference. Atezolizumab and pembrolizumab are the Food and Drug Administration-approved checkpoint inhibitors in cisplatin-ineligible patients. CONCLUSION: This review article summarizes the significance of immunotherapy in treatment of bladder cancer, its side effects, and limitations.

Roseomonas mucosa-Induced Peritonitis in a Patient Undergoing Continuous Cycler Peritoneal Dialysis: Case Report and Literature Analysis.

Roseomonas species, a rare Gram-negative microorganism, has seldom been reported to cause peritonitis in end-stage renal disease patients on peritoneal dialysis. Only seven cases of peritonitis by this rare microorganism have been reported worldwide. Treatment options can be challenging if not detected early and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality along with the switching of the dialysis modality to hemodialysis which is highly undesirable. Our patient is a 65-year-old Caucasian female who needed to be changed to emergency hemodialysis due to inability to perform peritoneal dialysis from suspected peritonitis and was subsequently discovered to have peritonitis from Roseomonas mucosa. She recovered with a prolonged antibiotics course and returned to peritoneal dialysis in 3 months following her treatment completion. Prompt diagnosis and prolonged antibiotics are a cornerstone in the management of this rare microorganism to prevent mortality and morbidity from peritonitis.

Successful Treatment of Calciphylaxis in a Young Female With End-Stage Renal Disease on Peritoneal Dialysis With Parathyroidectomy, Intensification of Dialysis, and Sodium Thiosulphate-A Case Report and Literature Review.

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy, commonly referred to as "calciphylaxis," is a rare life-threatening condition observed in patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease on dialysis. This results in necrotic, ischemic, tender dermal lesions anywhere in the body, but mainly on the abdominal wall and lower extremities, where subcutaneous tissue is abundant. Histologically, it is defined by calcification in dermal capillaries, arterioles, and subcutaneous adipose tissues. It can occur in all advanced stages of chronic kidney disease as well as end-stage renal disease patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Our case highlights a successful case of calciphylaxis in a young female patient who underwent parathyroidectomy and intensification of peritoneal dialysis regimen along with the infusion of sodium thiosulphate injection resulting in complete resolution of the lesion in 3 months. With limited evidence of treatment options and increased frequency of this condition in a dialysis patient, our case highlights the key aspects of calciphylaxis management in a young end-stage renal disease patient who didn't need a change of dialysis modality. We also review the risk factors and current practiced management options of this condition in our article.

Hyponatremia and Fever in a Patient on Ipilimumab and Nivolumab (Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors): A Case Report.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are novel anticancer therapy approved in multiple tumors and their use is rapidly increasing. They are associated with various systemic side effects that are immune-mediated and clinically coined as "immune-related adverse effects" (irAE). Hyponatremia is a possible side effect in patients receiving ICIs. Fever is another side effect that is mostly non-infectious. There are different mechanisms leading to hyponatremia in patients on ICIs, which could be (1) hypovolemic hyponatremia due to hemodynamic disturbance secondary to volume depletion (eg, from irAE like colitis and enteritis) or hypervolemia due to congestive heart failure, cirrhosis, or nephrosis; (2) syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion (especially from underlying lung cancer or neurological irAE like encephalitis and meningitis) with elevated urine sodium and urine osmolarity; and (3) irAE-related endocrinopathies such as hypophysitis, adrenal insufficiency, and hypothyroidism leading to euvolemic hyponatremia. We describe an interesting case of hyponatremia and fever in a patient receiving Ipilimumab and Nivolumab. The possible etiology of hyponatremia, in this case, was hypovolemia and volume depletion secondary to fever.

The Role of Patiromer in Delaying the Onset of Renal Replacement Therapy in Patients with Advanced Renal Failure.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an increased risk of developing hyperkalemia, which can be potentially life threatening. Hyperkalemia is frequently encountered with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) therapy use in patients with CKD and often results in the underdosing or discontinuation of these drugs. RAASi therapy has been proven to delay the progression of CKD, ameliorate proteinuria, and reduce the overall risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Patiromer is a sodium-free, potassium-binding polymer used for the treatment of hyperkalemia. We present a case series of four patients with Stage 4 or 5 CKD in whom the initiation of dialysis was delayed with the use of patiromer. For one patient, dialysis was delayed by 18 months, whereas the remaining three patients, in whom hyperkalemia was one of the main complications, remain dialysis independent to date.

The Emerging Uncommon Non-Albicans Candida: Candida Parapsilosis Peritonitis in a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient.

Candida parapsilosis can cause invasive fungal infection which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Timely management of this uncommon Candida pathogen is essential to prevent peritoneal dialysis patients from succumbing to the infectious complications of peritonitis related to it. We present a 75-year-old Caucasian female with end-stage renal disease, on peritoneal dialysis at home, who presented with peritonitis features found to be related to this rare Candida species. She was treated with four weeks course of oral fluconazole and was switched to incenter hemodialysis. Physicians need to be aware of this notorious Candida species in peritoneal dialysis patients and prompt management is essential in successful patient outcomes.

COVID-19 and APOL-1 High-Risk Genotype-Associated Collapsing Glomerulonephritis.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) primarily affects the lungs and can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The ongoing global pandemic has created healthcare and economic crisis for almost every nation of the world. Though primarily affecting the lungs, it has also affected the kidney in various ways including acute kidney injury (AKI), proteinuria, and hematuria. It has been increasingly shown that African American (AA) individuals affected with COVID-19 and presenting with AKI and nephrotic-range proteinuria are very susceptible to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The APOL-1 gene, associated with the African American population, has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for FSGS affected with COVID-19. Our case highlights a similar case of COVID-19 in a 65-year-old AA descendant with biopsy-proven FSGS and genetically confirmed APOL-1 alleles.

A case of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with coexisting systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neuromyelitis Optica or Devic disease is changed to Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder to include more diverse neurological and autoimmune manifestations. This is a severe relapsing autoimmune demyelinating disorder commonly affecting the optic nerve and spinal cord. It has been reported as either the first manifestation of SLE or as a coexisting condition with other autoimmune disorders commonly included but not limited to SLE and SS. We discussed a case of a 49-year-old female patient who was initially presented with a left-sided weakness that rapidly progressed to quadriparesis and bladder dysfunction within a few days. She had positive autoimmune serology tests for SLE posing a diagnostic challenge as SLE is associated with neurological manifestations. Due to a lack of definitive diagnostic criteria for SLE, presence of AQP-4 antibodies in CSF, and evidence of longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis in MRI cervical spine, we conclude that she has Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder with probable SLE. It is possible that she may develop more signs and symptoms of SLE with time and will need close follow up. Timely diagnosis and prompt treatment are vital to decrease morbidity and mortality, as done in our case. The patient was started on high-dose steroids with significant improvement in her symptoms. These patients may need early treatment with plasmapheresis and long-term follow-up with immunotherapy to prevent relapse. There are few case reports in the literature, and more information is needed to understand and better diagnose NMO with coexisting SLE.