Pulmonary thrombosis in a 10-year-old child with minimal change disease and nephrotic syndrome. A clinical, radiologic, and pathologic correlation with literature review.

ABSTRACT

The nephrotic syndrome has long been recognized as a hypercoagulable state. Arterial thrombosis is a rare complication of the syndrome. Diuretics and steroids, standard treatment for exacerbations, have been implicated as contributing to the development of arterial thrombosis. The authors present the pathologic, clinical, and radiologic findings of a patient with nephrotic syndrome and minimal change disease. The patient died of pulmonary thrombosis while on high-dose steroid therapy for an acute exacerbation of proteinuria following a recent hospital admission for chest pain and dyspnea.