Atypical Fabry's disease presenting with cholesterol crystal embolization

Intern Med. 2000 Aug;39(8):646-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.39.646.

Abstract

We describe a 65-year-old man who presented with pulmonary hemorrhage and progressive renal insufficiency three months after resection surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Intensive treatment with corticosteroids and hemodialysis were not effective, and the patient died. Postmortem examination of the kidneys revealed widespread cholesterol clefts within the renal arterioles and a number of lamellar inclusion bodies were observed by electron microscopy. The diagnosis of Fabry's disease was made by the absence of plasma alpha-galactosidase A activity. This was a very rare case of subclinical Fabry's disease coexistent with cholesterol crystal embolization, mimicking pulmonary-renal syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cholesterol / metabolism*
  • Crystallization
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Embolism, Fat / complications*
  • Embolism, Fat / diagnosis*
  • Fabry Disease / complications*
  • Fabry Disease / diagnosis*
  • Hemorrhage / complications
  • Humans
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / pathology
  • Male

Substances

  • Cholesterol