Lack of association between dialysis modality and outcomes in atheroembolic renal disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atheroembolic renal disease (AERD) can require dialytic support. Because anticoagulation may trigger atheroembolization, peritoneal dialysis may be preferred to hemodialysis. However, the effect of dialysis modality on renal and patient outcomes in AERD is unknown. DESIGN, SETTINGS, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: A subcohort of 111 subjects who developed acute/subacute renal failure requiring dialysis was identified from a larger longitudinal study of AERD. The main exposure of interest was dialysis modality (peritoneal versus extracorporeal therapies). Logistic regression was used to study the probability of renal function recovery. Times from dialysis initiation to death were studied using Cox's regression. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients received hemodialysis and 25 received peritoneal dialysis. The probability of renal function recovery was similar by dialysis modality (25% among hemodialysis patients and 24% among peritoneal dialysis patients; P = 0.873). During follow-up, 58 patients died, 14 among peritoneal patients and 44 among hemodialysis patients (P = 0.705). In multivariable analysis, gastrointestinal tract involvement and use of statins maintained an independent effect on the risk of patient death. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support the notion that one dialysis modality is superior to the other. However, the observational nature of the data precludes any firm conclusions.

Ultrastructural pathology of nephropathies with organized deposits: a case series.

Renal organized or structured deposits are much less frequent than those with usual type immunocomplex deposits and are encountered in a wide variety of primary and systemic disorders. It has been suggested that immunoglobulins (Igs) are responsible for organized deposits. We report 5 cases who have been diagnosed and treated in our hospital. Patients were aged 52 to 72 years, three of them were males and had variable degree of renal function, from normal serum creatinine to uraemia. Proteinuria was detected in all patients while monoclonal component was present only in the serum of one subject. Ultrastructural analysis of renal specimens revealed organized deposits. Diagnoses that were made are the following: membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with finger print, immunotactoid glomerulopathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with arched deposits, primary amyloidosis and light chain deposition disease. In systemic disorders ultrastructural pathology could be particularly valuable for correct deposits classification, precise localization and pattern of deposition of Igs.

The challenge of diagnosing atheroembolic renal disease: clinical features and prognostic factors.

BACKGROUND: Atheroembolic renal disease (AERD) is caused by showers of cholesterol crystals released by eroded atherosclerotic plaques. Embolization may occur spontaneously or after angiographic/surgical procedures. We sought to determine clinical features and prognostic factors of AERD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Incident cases of AERD were enrolled at multiple sites and followed up from diagnosis until dialysis and death. Diagnosis was based on clinical suspicion, confirmed by histology or ophthalmoscopy for all spontaneous forms and for most iatrogenic cases. Cox regression was used to model time to dialysis and death as a function of baseline characteristics, AERD presentation (acute/subacute versus chronic renal function decline), and extrarenal manifestations. Three hundred fifty-four subjects were followed up for an average of 2 years. They tended to be male (83%) and elderly (60% >70 years) and to have cardiovascular diseases (90%) and abnormal renal function at baseline (83%). AERD occurred spontaneously in 23.5% of the cases. During the study, 116 patients required dialysis, and 102 died. Baseline comorbidities, ie, reduced renal function, presence of diabetes, history of heart failure, acute/subacute presentation, and gastrointestinal tract involvement, were significant predictors of event occurrence. The risk of dialysis and death was 50% lower among those receiving statins. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features of AERD are identifiable. These make diagnosis possible in most cases. Prognosis is influenced by disease type and severity.

Light chain deposition disease presenting as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) can involve the heart and cause severe heart failure. Cardiac involvement is usually described in the advanced stages of the disease. We report the case of a woman in whom restrictive cardiomyopathy due to LCDD presented with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our emergency department because of palpitations. In a recent blood test, serum creatinine was 1.4 mg/dl. She was found to have high blood pressure, left ventricular hypertrophy and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. An ACE-inhibitor was prescribed but her renal function rapidly worsened and she was admitted to our nephrology unit. On admission serum creatinine was 9.4 mg/dl, potassium 6.8 mmol/l, haemoglobin 7.7 g/dl, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide 29894 pg/ml. A central venous catheter was inserted and haemodialysis was started. She underwent a renal biopsy which showed kappa LCDD. Bone marrow aspiration and bone biopsy demonstrated kappa light chain multiple myeloma. Echocardiographic findings were consistent with restrictive cardiomyopathy. Thalidomide and dexamethasone were prescribed, and a peritoneal catheter was inserted. Peritoneal dialysis has now been performed for 15 months without complications. DISCUSSION: Despite the predominant tubular deposition of kappa light chain, in our patient the first clinical manifestation of LCDD was cardiac disease manifesting as atrial fibrillation and the correct diagnosis was delayed. The clinical management initially addressed the cardiovascular symptoms without paying sufficient attention to the pre-existing slight increase in our patient's serum creatinine. However cardiac involvement is a quite uncommon presentation of LCDD, and this unusual case suggests that the onset of acute arrhythmias associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy and impaired renal function might be related to LCDD.