Tumor Lysis-like Syndrome in Eosinophilic Disease of the Lung: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a metabolic disorder that is generally associated with a malignancy leading to hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia, and acute kidney injury. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter these phenomena in nonmalignant disease, which has been referred to as tumor lysis-like syndrome in some studies. We herein experienced a case in which tumor lysis-like syndrome occurred in the course of therapy for eosinophilic disease of the lung, a nonmalignant disease. Even in nonmalignant disease, massive cell lysis induced by therapy can cause phenomena such as TLS or tumor lysis-like syndrome.

Change in skin perfusion pressure after the creation of upper limb arteriovenous fistula for maintenance hemodialysis access.

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most important vascular access method for hemodialysis (HD). However, ischemic steal syndrome occasionally develops. This study evaluated the change in skin perfusion pressure (SPP) after the creation of upper limb AVF and analyzed the relationship between blood flow measurements and the change in SPP. The subjects included 21 patients who underwent radiocephalic AVF creation for the first time between November 2012 and September 2013. We measured SPP on the palm side of the third finger of both hands and assessed blood flow measurements using ultrasound examination before and after the creation of AVF. The subjects consisted of 15 men and 6 women (average age: 65.3 ± 12.7 years, including 12 diabetic patients). Observational period between before and after surgery was 4.9 ± 5.2 days. None of the patients had ischemic steal syndrome after the creation of AVF. Skin perfusion pressure tended to decrease after creation of AVF on the finger of AVF side (100.0 ± 20.9 vs. 87.9 ± 26.5 mmHg, P = 0.063). In contrast, SPP did not change in the limb without AVF (97.9 ± 20.7 vs. 101.0 ± 19.4 mmHg, P = 0.615). The rate of change in SPP was significantly decreased on the finger of AVF side compared with that of limb without AVF (0.055% vs. -0.112%, P = 0.014). There was no correlation between the change in SPP and blood flow measurements. Skin perfusion pressure is possible to detect ischemic steal syndrome after the creation of upper limb AVF.

Evaluation of renal microcirculation by contrast-enhanced ultrasound with Sonazoid as a contrast agent.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major and serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Continuous hypoxia due to hypoperfusion in peritubular capillaries is one of the factors aggravating CKD, but evaluation of perfusion in this region is difficult using clinically available imaging methods. Since the second-generation ultrasound contrast agent Sonazoid has a stable shell, it enables visualization of the renal vasculature for a long period of time. We therefore evaluated changes in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) imaging with Sonazoid in CKD patients.Sonazoid was used in 85 CKD patients and 5 control subjects, and images were recorded for 10 minutes. Time-intensity curves were generated from the images of 62 time points in both cortex and medulla.In control samples, contrast enhancement spread from the hilar portion to the periphery along the direction of arterial flow, and renal cortex and medulla were then enhanced in sequence. Enhancement was maximal soon after, then gradually decreased, but was still visible at 600 seconds. In CKD patients, renal contrast enhancement was attenuated in both cortex and medulla. On time-intensity curves, the attenuation of enhancement was composed of delayed rising, reduction of peak, and acceleration of decay in both cortex and medulla with progression of renal dysfunction. No side effects of the contrast agent were observed in any subjects.The attenuation of renal contrast enhancement observed in CKD patients appears to reflect disturbance of perfusion in peritubular capillaries. CEUS with Sonazoid is a useful and safe means of visualizing the renal microvasculature.

[MPO-ANCA related vasculitis complicating mucinous cystadenoma of the pancreas and severe acute pancreatitis after steroid pulse therapy: a case report].

A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of massive proteinuria of 2.2 g/day. She had seen a general practitioner for management of Basedow disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension for 24 years. On admission, she complained of anorexia and nausea. Laboratory data showed serum creatinine of 3.62 mg/dL and MPO-ANCA of 68 EU. Renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis complicated with membranous nephropathy. Thiamazole (MMI), which was being given for Basedow disease for years, was withdrawn on the suspicion as a cause of MPO-ANCA. Three years after the withdrawal of MMI, renal failure slowly progressed to the end-stage, while MPO-ANCA was negative. She was introduced onto hemodialysis. At that time, MPO-ANCA became positive again, the titer being 12.9 EU. Therefore, we suspected a relapse of ANCA-related vasculitis and performed steroid pulse therapy on the patient with methylprednisolone at 0.5 g/day for 3 days. On hospital day 14, MPO-ANCA became negative. On day 25, however, severe acute pancreatitis developed and a pancreatic tumor lesion was found on CT. In spite of amelioration of the pancreatitis by medical treatment, the pancreatic tumor lesion did not show any significant change. On day 48, she died of multiple organ failure. Autopsy showed a mucinous cyst adenoma of pancreas and necrotizing pancreatitis. We suspected steroid therapy as the cause of the pancreatic lesions.

[An autopsy case of microscopic polyangiitis complicated with pulmonary aspergilloma and cytomegalovirus pneumonia].

A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever and rapidly progressive renal insufficiency over a month. He had depression and Alzheimer's disease as complications. On admission, his serum creatinine was 5.4 mg/dL, and the serum CRP and MPO-ANCA were 18.2 mg/dL and 285 EU, respectively. A computed tomographic chest scan showed pericardiac effusion and fibrosis in both lower lung fields. Although microscopic polyangiitis(MPA)was inferred from a positive MPO-ANCA, renal biopsy could not be carried out. The initial therapy was started with pulse methylprednisolone therapy, followed by oral administration of prednisolone at the dose of 1 mg/kg(60 mg/day). As a result, his fever and inflammatory findings disappeared, and renal insufficiency was ameliorated with a smooth recovery and the pericardial effusion was markedly diminished. However, on the 18th hospital day, chest radiography revealed a nodular shadow in the right lung. Fungus infection was suspected because his serum beta-D-glucan level was extremely high (above 999 pg/mL). Mikafungin, therefore, was started at a dose of 75 mg/day and then, the dose was increased up to 300 mg/day. Nevertheless, he finally died of respiratory failure on the 26th hospital day. The autopsy findings revealed a cavity of 4.0 x 3.0 x 3.0 centimeters in size in the upper lobe of the right lung. There was a great number of fungal threads with a septal wall branched in a Y-shaped figure around the cavity, thus indicating pulmonary aspergilloma. Intranuclear inclusion bodies staining positive for cytomegalovirus were observed in all the lung fields, suggestive of a cytomegalovirus infection. In the kidney, a cellular crescent formation was noted in the majority of glomeruli showing crescentic glomeluronephritis, compatible with MPA.