Renal amyloidosis in leprosy, an infrequent cause of nephrotic syndrome in Europe.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae The main clinical manifestations involve the skin and the peripheral nervous system. Several types of nephropathy have been described in leprosy. One frequent form of renal involvement is amyloidosis, especially in patients with lepromatous leprosy. In these patients, end-stage renal disease is an important contributor to morbidity and mortality. Here, we present the case of a patient with nephrotic syndrome caused by secondary amyloidosis, chronic peripheral neuropathy and a history of leprosy. The patient was correctly treated in her youth, which is the best way to avoid renal pathology, but she developed a nephrotic syndrome years later.

Hereditary apolipoprotein AI-associated renal amyloidosis: A diagnostic challenge.

Hereditary renal amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant condition with considerable overlap with other amyloidosis types. Differential diagnosis is complicated, but is relevant for prognosis and treatment. We describe a patient with nephrotic syndrome and progressive renal failure, who had a mother with renal amiloidosis. Renal biopsy revealed amyloid deposits in glomerular space, with absence of light chains and protein AA. We suspected amyloidosis with fibrinogen A alpha chain deposits, which is the most frequent cause of hereditary amyloidosis in Europe, with a glomerular preferential affectation. However, the genetic study showed a novel mutation in apolipoprotein AI. On reviewing the biopsy of the patient's mother similar glomerular deposits were found, but there were significant deposits in the renal medulla as well, which is typical in APO AI amyloidosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Apo AI amyloidosis is characterized by slowly progressive renal disease and end-stage renal disease occurs aproximately 3 to 15 years from initial diagnosis. Renal transplantation offers an acceptable graft survival and in these patients with hepatorenal involvement simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation could be considered.

Amiloidosis renal hereditaria por depósito de apolipoproteína AI: un reto diagnóstico / Hereditary apolipoprotein AI-associated renal amyloidosis: A diagnostic challenge

La amiloidoisis renal hereditaria es un trastorno autosómico dominante cuya clínica se solapa con la de otros tipos de amiloidoisis. Hacer un adecuado diagnóstico diferencial puede ser difícil, pero tiene una gran relevancia respecto al pronóstico y tratamiento, que difiere según sea el origen de la enfermedad. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente con síndrome nefrótico e insuficiencia renal progresiva, con antecedente familiar de madre con amiloidosis renal. En la biopsia renal se observó depósito de amiloide a nivel glomerular, con negatividad para cadenas ligeras y proteína AA. La sospecha clínica inicial fue la de amiloidosis por depósito de cadena A alfa de fibrinógeno, que es la causa más frecuente de amiloidosis hereditaria en Europa, con afectación preferentemente glomerular. Sin embargo, el estudio genético determinó una nueva mutación previamente no descrita de la Apolipoproteina AI (APO AI). En la biopsia de la madre se detectó depósito glomerular, pero también depósito masivo en médula, lo que caracteriza a la amiloidosis por depósito de APO AI. El diagnóstico se confirmó mediante inmunohistoquímica. La amiloidosis por depósito de Apo AI progresa a enfermedad renal crónica terminal en el plazo de de 3 a 15 años. Se diferencia clínicamente de la amiloidosis AL por su menor afectación extrarrenal y su mejor pronóstico. El trasplante renal ofrece una supervivencia del injerto aceptable y el trasplante hepato-renal se podría tener en cuenta en pacientes con disfunción significativa de ambos órganos (AU)

Hereditary renal amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant condition with considerable overlap with other amyloidosis types. Differential diagnosis is complicated, but is relevant for prognosis and treatment. We describe a patient with nephrotic syndrome and progressive renal failure, who had a mother with renal amiloidosis. Renal biopsy revealed amyloid deposits in glomerular space, with absence of light chains and protein AA. We suspected amyloidosis with fibrinogen A alpha chain deposits, which is the most frequent cause of hereditary amyloidosis in Europe, with a glomerular preferential affectation. However, the genetic study showed a novel mutation in apolipoprotein AI. On reviewing the biopsy of the patient's mother similar glomerular deposits were found, but there were significant deposits in the renal medulla as well, which is typical in APO AI amyloidosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Apo AI amyloidosis is characterized by slowly progressive renal disease and end-stage renal disease occurs aproximately 3 to 15 years from initial diagnosis. Renal transplantation offers an acceptable graft survival and in these patients with hepatorenal involvement simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation could be considered (AU)