Renal cholesterol embolic disease effectively treated with steroid pulse therapy

Intern Med. 2003 Dec;42(12):1206-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.42.1206.

Abstract

A 65-year-old man developed acute renal failure with eosinophilia two weeks after a coronary bypass operation and angiography. Renal biopsy revealed cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) in glomeruli and arterioles. Low-dose corticosteroid therapy failed to recover the renal function; further deterioration of renal function and peripheral ischemic symptoms such as livedo reticularis and blue toes occurred. However, steroid pulse therapy successfully attenuated CCE-induced renal failure and eosinophilia. It is suggested that steroid pulse therapy might be effective to treat CCE-induced renal failure and eosinophilia could be a useful marker for activity of CCE.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Embolism, Cholesterol / drug therapy*
  • Embolism, Cholesterol / pathology
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Kidney Glomerulus / pathology
  • Male
  • Prednisolone / administration & dosage*
  • Pulse Therapy, Drug*

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Prednisolone