Uropatía obstructiva recurrente en arteritis de Takayasu / Recurrent upper urinary tract obstruction in takayasu arteritis

La arteritis de Takayasu (AT) es una enfermedad inflamatoria infrecuente de vasos grandes. A menudo, el daño crónico originado en las grandes arterias requiere de revascularización mediante prótesis vasculares. Excepcionalmente la implantación de las prótesis origina lesiones en otros órganos, como los uréteres, los cuales pueden obstruirse por compresión extrínseca por el tejido fibroso retroperitoneal originado como reacción a la presencia de la prótesis vascular.Se comunica el caso de una mujer que presentó hidronefrosis bilateral en forma asincrónica después de los 2 años de la instalación de una prótesis aorto-ilíaca con insuficiencia renal aguda, la cual pudo revertirse mediante. (AU)

Takayasu's arteritis is a rare inflammatory disease of large vessels. Often, chronic damage resulting in large arteries stenosis requires revascularization with vascular prostheses. Exceptionally, the presence of prostheses causes lesions in other organs, such as ureters, which are subject to extrinsic compression caused by retroperitoneal fibrous tissue originated as a reaction to the presence of vascular prostheses. We report the case of a woman who presented bilateral asynchronous hydronephrosis after 2 years of the installation of an aorto- iliac graft with acute renal failure, which could be reversed by releasing the ureter from the periprosthetic fibrous retroperitoneal tissue.(AU)

[Survival among renal allograft recipients from non related living donors]. / Resultados a 10 años en trasplantes renales con donantes vivos no relacionados: Experiencia de 22 años.

BACKGROUND: There is a gap between the number of patients requiring a renal allograft and the number of potential deceased donors (DD). One alternative is using allografts from non-related living donors (NRLD). AIM: To compare survival and complications of renal allograft recipients from DD, related living donors (RLD) and NRLD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational study of a cohort of renal allograft recipients. Of 253 transplants performed in a Chilean region between 1981 and 2003, 20 patients received and allograft from a NRLD. Graft and patient survival of these patients were compared with those of 93 patients receiving an allograft from a related living donor and 140 receiving it from a DD. Patients were followed for 10 years or until death or dialysis requirement. RESULTS: No significant differences between groups in graft and patient survival, deaths with a functioning graft or return to dialysis were observed. Receptors of DD had more hospital admissions during the first years after receiving the graft, usually due to infections. Also a delayed graft function was more common among them. Glomerular filtration rate ten years after the graft was similar among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: No differences in graft or patient survival was observed between patients receiving a renal allograft from NRLD, RLD or DD.

Enfermedad por depósito de cristales de pirofosfato de calcio como ejemplo de forma de manifestación de la enfermedad en el adulto mayor / Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease as an example of illness presentation in the elderly

Illness presentation in the elderly may be entirely non-specific, with fatigue, loss of function or the presence of geriatric syndromes. We report a 90 years old male consulting in the emergency room for delirium that persisted throughout hospitalization without finding a cause. During the course of hospitalization mild fever appeared and a left knee swelling became apparent. A synovial fluid aspiration showed a leukocyte count of 360 per field with 60% polymorphonuclear cells. The culture was negative. With a presumptive diagnosis of pseudogout, cochicine and celecoxib were started with remission of the confusional state. The patient was discharged 13 days after admission in good conditions.

Resultados a 10 años en trasplantes renales con donantes vivos no relacionados: Experiencia de 22 años / Survival among renal allograft recipients from non related living donors

Background: There is a gap between the number of patients requiring a renal allograft and the number of potential deceased donors (DD). One alternative is using allografts from non-related living donors (NRLD). Aim: To compare survival and complications of renal allograft recipients from DD, related living donors (RLD) and NRLD. Material and Methods: Observational study of a cohort of renal allograft recipients. Of 253 transplants performed in a Chilean region between 1981 and 2003, 20 patients received and allograft from a NRLD. Graft and patient survival of these patients were compared with those of 93 patients receiving an allograft from a related living donor and 140 receiving it from a DD. Patients were followed for 10 years or until death or dialysis requirement. Results: No significant differences between groups in graft and patient survival, deaths with a functioning graft or return to dialysis were observed. Receptors of DD had more hospital admissions during the first years after receiving the graft, usually due to infections. Also a delayed graft function was more common among them. Glomerular filtration rate ten years after the graft was similar among the three groups. Conclusions: No differences in graft or patient survival was observed between patients receiving a renal allograft from NRLD, RLD or DD.

[Are low-molecular-weight heparins safe in patients with chronic kidney disease?]. / Heparinas de bajo peso molecular en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica: es seguro su uso?

Due to their efficacy and convenience, low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) are used as substitutes of unfractionated heparin. Unfortunately, most of the evidence about safety and usefulness of LMWH have excluded patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in whom their elimination clearance is reduced, allowing an increased anticoagulant effect. Accordingly, there is a growing number of reports about major and fatal bleeding episodes in this group of patients using LMWH. At the present stage of knowledge, there is no definitive cut-off value of renal function to adjust the doses or avoid the administration of LMWH, making their effects unpredictable in patients with CKD. Hence, it is reasonable to avoid the use of these drugs in patients with CKD, while awaiting for more evidence that supports their safer use.

Heparinas de bajo peso molecular en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica ¿Es seguro su uso? / Are low-molecular-weight heparins safe in patients with chronic kidney disease?

Due to their effcacy and convenience, low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) are used as sustitutes of unfractionated heparin. Unfortunately, most of the evidence about safety and usefulness of LMWH have excluded patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in whom their elimination clearance is reduced, allowing an increased anticoagulant effect. Accordingly, there is a growing number of reports about major and fatal bleeding episodes in this group of patients using LMWH. At the present stage of knowledge, there is no defnitive cut-off value of renal function to adjust the doses or avoid the administration of LMWH, making their effects unpredictable in patients with CKD. Hence, it is reasonable to avoid the use of these drugs in patients with CKD, while awaiting for more evidence that supports their safer use.

[Celiac disease presenting as an intestinal intussusception. Report of one case]. / Obstrucción intestinal por intususcepción como primera manifestación de enfermedad celíaca en un adulto.

The usual form of presentation of celiac disease is chronic diarrhoea and deficiencies of vitamin D, vitamin K, iron and vitamin B12, due to malabsorption. Intestinal obstruction secondary to an intussusception is rare in adults and usually is a complication of carcinoma of the colon or post-operative adhesions. We report a 45 year-old female consulting for diarrhoea and vomiting lasting one week and progressive abdominal bloating. A plain abdominal X ray showed air fluid levels in the small bowel and a CT scan showed an intussusception. She was operated and discharged but continued with diarrhoea. She was admitted again and a new CT scan showed three intussusceptions that were resolved with the administration of oral contrast media. Antiendomisial antibodies were positive and a celiac disease was diagnosed. After one year with a gluten free diet, the patient remains asymptomatic.

Obstrucción intestinal por intususcepción como primera manifestación de enfermedad celíaca en un adulto / Celiac disease presenting as an intestinal intussusception: report of one case

The usual form of presentation of celiac disease is chronic diarrhoea and deficiencies of vitamin D, vitamin K, iron and vitamin B12, due to malabsorption. Intestinal obstruction secondary to an intussusception is rare in adults and usuaUy is a compUcation of carcinoma of the colon or post operative adhesions. We report a 45 year-old female consulting for diarrhoea and vomiting lasting one week and progressive abdominal bloating. A plain abdominal Xray showed air fluid levels in the small bowel and a CT sean showed an intussusception. She was operated and discharged but continued with diarrhoea. She was admitted again and a new CT sean showed three intussusceptions that were resolved with the administration of oral contrast media. Antiendomisial antibodies were positive and a celiac disease was diagnosed. After one year with a gluten free diet, the patient remains asymptomatic.

[Recurrent left lung atelectasis caused by an endobronchial metastasis of a colon cancer: report of one case]. / Atelectasia pulmonar recurrente secundaria a una metástasis endobronquial de un carcinoma de colon: Caso clínico.

Endobronchial location of metastases is uncommon. We report an 83 year-old woman with a history of a left hemicolectomy due to tubular colon adenocarcinoma, three years ago. She consulted in the emergency room for progressive dyspnea, cough an mucous sputum. There was abolition of breath sounds and dullness in the left hemithorax. Chest X ray examination showed a complete opacity of the left lung. She was treated as a pneumonia and her left lung expanded again. Three weeks later, left lung atelectasis relapsed. A bronchial biopsy showed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, compatible with colon adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the colonic origin of the tumor. The patient rejected radiotherapy and is alive after 11 months of follow up.

Atelectasia pulmonar recurrente secundaria a una metástasis endobronquial de un carcinoma de colon: Caso clínico / Recurrent left lung atelectasis caused by an endobronchial metastasis of a colon cancer: Report of one case

Endobronchial location of metastases is uncommon. We report a 83 year-old woman with a history of a ¡eft hemicolectomy due to tubular colon adenocarcinoma, three years ago. She consulted in the emergency room for progressive dyspnea, cough an mucous sputum. There was abolition of breath sounds and dullness in the ¡eft hemithorax. Chest X ray examination showed a complete opacity of the ¡eft lung. She was treated as a pneumonia and her left lung expanded again. Three weeks later, left lung atelectasis relapsed. A bronchial biopsy showed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, compatible with colon adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the colonic origin of the tumor. The patient rejected radiotherapy and is alive after 11 months of follow up.

[Diabetic ketoacidosis responsive to methotrexate in a patient with a mixed connective tissue disease]. / Cetoacidosisdiabética reversible con metotrexato: Resistencia al tratamiento insulínico. Caso clínico.

We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of ketoacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

[Renal artery thrombosis after withdrawal from anticoagulation therapy in a kidney transplant recipient with thrombophilia: report of one case]. / Trombosis de la arteria renal después de suspender la terapia anticoagulante en una trasplantada renal con trombofilia: Caso Clínico.

Kidney graft loss because arterial thrombosis is not common and is related to risk factors such as recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis, collagen-vascular disease, repeated miscarriage, diabetes mellitus and thrombophilia. Patients having this last disorder have an increased risk of repeated thrombosis in successive transplants unless they receive anticoagulation therapy. We report a 51 year-old diabetic woman who had a history of recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis (both native and prosthetic) while on dialysis and received a cadaveric donor kidney. One month after transplantation she had axillary vein thrombosis complicated with pulmonary embolism and received anticoagulants for six months. Just days after stopping the anticoagulation, she became suddenly anuric due to renal artery thrombosis and complete graft infarction. The coagulation study showed moderate hyperhomocysteinemia and a significant protein C deficiency (39%). Days after nephrectomy she suffered a femoral vein thrombosis and anticoagulation was prescribed for life.

Cetoacidosis diabética reversible con metotrexato: Resistencia al tratamiento insulínico. Caso clínico / Diabetic ketoacidosis responsive to methotrexate in a patient with a mixed connective tissue disease

We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of keotacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

Trombosis de la arteria renal después de suspender la terapia anticoagulante en una trasplantada renal con trombofilia: Caso Clínico / Renal artery thrombosis after withdrawal from anticoagulation therapy in a kidney transplant recipient with thrombophilia: Report of one case

Kidney graft loss because arterial thrombosis is not common and is related to risk factors such as recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis, collagen-vascular disease, repeated miscarriage, diabetes mellitus and thrombophilia. Patients having this last disorder have an increased risk of repeated thrombosis in successive transplants unless they receive anticoagulation therapy. We report a 51 year-old diabetic woman who had a history of recurrent vascular hemodialysis access thrombosis (both native and prosthetic) while on dialysis and received a cadaveric donor kidney. One month after transplantation she had axillary vein thrombosis complicated with pulmonary embolism and received anticoagulants for six months. Just days after stopping the anticoagulation, she became suddenly anuric due to renal artery thrombosis and complete graft infarction. The coagulation study showed moderate hyperhomocysteinemia and a significant protein C deficiency (39 percent). Days after nephrectomy she suffered a femoral vein thrombosis and anticoagulation was prescribed for life.

Rabdomiolisis de esfuerzo sin falla renal aguda: comunicación de cuatro casos tratados exitosamente con solución salina / Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis without renal failure: four cases successfully managed with saline solution

La rabdomiolisis de esfuerzo (RMLE) es un tipo poco frecuente de rabdomiolisis no traumática. Puede presentarse en pacientes que portan una susceptibilidad muscular aumentada al stress generado por el ejercicio intenso, ya sea permanente (en los casos de trastornos metabólicos congénitos) como transitoria (en situaciones en que los mecanismos fisiológicos adaptativos al ejercicio están momentáneamente impedidos). Dentro de las complicaciones del daño muscular masivo no manejado adecuadamente se puede producir falla renal aguda por la liberación de pigmentos que dañan los túbulos renales. Presentamos cuatro casos de RMLE que fueron tratados con éxito con aporte de solución salina y bicarbonato, evitando el desarrollo de trastornos electrolíticos graves o una falla renal aguda con requerimiento dialítico.