Rapid Remission of Secondary Membranous Glomerulonephritis Due to Syphilis: A Case Report.

Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is an antibody-mediated autoimmune disease that targets the glomerular basement membrane-podocyte complex, causing defects in the glomerular filtration barrier and resulting in nephrotic syndrome. Management of patients with MGN now relies on identifying the underlying etiology. A 36-year-old female patient, with a recent history of transient vision loss, presented with 11 days of progressive edema and episodes of vomiting, headache, and stomach pain. Evaluation of progressive proteinuria led to a renal biopsy, which showed normal glomerular histology by light microscopy and a full-house pattern of immune-complex deposits by immunofluorescence microscopy. Electron microscopy showing very occasional subepithelial deposits confirmed the diagnosis of MGN. Testing for anti-PLA2R antibody, a biomarker for primary (idiopathic) MGN, was negative by immunohistochemistry and serology. Extensive clinical evaluation and workup led to a rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test for syphilis, which was positive. Treatment was immediately initiated with furosemide, losartan, and weekly intramuscular benzathine penicillin, and within two weeks, the patient's edema had subsided, and her proteinuria had resolved. The patient remained in clinical remission at 11-month follow-up with good overall health. We emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of syphilis-induced MGN as prompt treatment results in rapid remission of renal disease. In the evaluation of secondary MGN, atypical presentations of syphilis should be considered in the differential diagnosis to ensure the timely initiation of appropriate management.

Ferrotoxicity and its amelioration by endogenous vitamin D in experimental acute kidney injury.

IMPACT STATEMENT: This work provides in-depth insights on catalytic iron-induced cytotoxicity and the resultant triggering of endogenous vitamin D synthesis in experimental acute kidney injury. Our results reveal significantly elevated levels of catalytic iron culminating in oxidant-mediated renal injury and a concomitant increase in 1,25-dihdyroxyvitamin D3 levels. Also, changes in other iron-related proteins including transferrin, ferritin, and hepcidin were observed both in the serum as well as in their mRNA expression. We consider all these findings vital since no connection between catalytic iron and vitamin D has been established so far. Furthermore, we believe that this work provides new and interesting results, with catalytic iron emerging as an important target in ameliorating renal cellular injury, possibly by timely administration of vitamin D. It also needs to be seen if these observations made in rats could be translated to humans by means of robust clinical trials.

Early onset neutropenia and thrombocytopenia following rituximab in lupus nephritis.

Biologics have emerged as an important modality of treatment in rheumatic diseases and have allowed the rheumatologist to explore varied therapeutic uses of these drugs. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against CD20 receptor is an important member of the biologic armamentarium for the treatment of various refractory autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The drug is now widely used in systemic lupus erythematosus for several complications which are refractory to conventional therapy. Although relatively safe, the post-marketing surveillance of rituximab has revealed a few rare but important adverse reactions. Cytopenia including neutropenia following rituximab, has been vastly reported as a late event (>4 weeks), but a few cases of early onset neutropenia (EON) and thrombocytopenia are also found in the literature. We describe a case of a 35-year-old woman with refractory lupus nephritis who developed asymptomatic EON and thrombocytopenia following rituximab infusion. The neutropenia responded well to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor treatment and the platelets spontaneously recovered. This case report is aimed at highlighting the importance of identifying early onset cytopenia following rituximab which may have an important bearing on the final outcome for the patient.

Emphasizing the pivotal role of fine-needle aspiration cytology in a case of recurrent malignant chondroid syringoma.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) features of malignant chondroid syringoma (MCS) are rarely documented. Here, we report a case of recurrent MCS, highlighting its interesting clinicopathologic features. Initially, we received cytology and histopathology slides (for review) of a 57-year-old woman who had undergone resection for an occipital MCS and later presented with recurrence. On reviewing the slides, cytology was consistent with recurrent MCS. However, tissue sections showed features of a malignant epithelial tumor with comedonecrosis and sebaceous differentiation owing to which a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma/malignant adnexal tumor was suggested. Due to an ambiguous histology, a repeat FNA was performed to perform immunocytochemistry (ICC) and oil-red O stains, which confirmed the diagnosis of MCS with sebaceous differentiation. Thus, in a situation where histology was inconclusive due to lack of representative sections, FNAC played a major role in resolving the diagnostic dilemma and facilitating an appropriate clinical management.

Sporadic bilateral synchronous multicentric papillary renal cell carcinoma masquerading as bilateral multifocal pyelonephritis.

Pyelonephritis is defined as an inflammation of the kidney and renal pelvis. The diagnosis is usually clinical. Acute multifocal bacterial nephritis is a rare form of pyelonephritis that is more severe and sepsis is more common. We report a patient who presented with fever and right-sided abdominal pain associated with right flank tenderness, suggesting right acute pyelonephritis. Bilateral multifocal pyelonephritis was diagnosed on ultrasonography, radionuclide renal scintigraphy and computed tomography. However, owing to non-resolution of symptoms, a biopsy was performed, which showed bilateral papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). PRCC is known to exhibit multicentricity. To our knowledge, a case of bilateral multicentric PRCC masquerading as bilateral multifocal pyelonephritis has not been reported in the English literature. This case highlights the need to be vigilant while treating patients with focal lesions of the kidney as an inflammatory condition lest a malignancy should be missed.

Novel presentation of lepromatous leprosy in an erythema gyratum repens-like pattern.

OBJECTIVES: Leprosy can have diverse cutaneous and occasionally perplexing presentations. We report an unusual case of lepromatous leprosy (LL) with annular lesions resembling erythema gyratum repens. REPORT: A 55-year-old man presented with a symmetrical, hypopigmented, and erythematous rash of bizarre appearance over the lateral aspect of the upper arm, and anterior and posterior aspects of the trunk of two months' duration. He gave a history of self-resolving episodes of bilateral pedal edema, and numbness and pricking sensations in both the hands and feet, which had occurred intermittently over the previous six years. An ulcer measuring 2 cm in size was present over the adjacent surface of the right first and second toes. The bilateral ulnar and radial cutaneous nerves were symmetrically thickened. RESULTS: Slit-skin smears revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli. Skin biopsy from the trunk showed collections of histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the dermis and around the blood vessels. The patient was diagnosed with LL and started on multibacillary multi-drug therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Lepromatous leprosy can have varied clinical manifestations and is often a great imitator. However, the skin smear positivity, even in normal skin, symmetrical cutaneous and peripheral nerve involvement, and histopathology in the present patient were indicative of LL. This report highlights a rare presentation of leprosy. Clinicians should be aware of these rare manifestations as lepromatous cases still occur in certain regions.