Intermittent claudication and severe renal artery stenosis are independently associated in hypertensive patients referred for renal arteriography

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the presence of clinical symptoms of peripheral artery disease and severe renal artery stenosis in patients referred for renal angiography. METHOD: We included 82 patients with clinical suspicion of renovascular hypertension and performed an imaging investigation (renal Doppler ultrasound and/or renal scintigraphy) for possible renal artery stenosis. All patients underwent renal arteriography and were examined for peripheral artery disease based on the presence of intermittent claudication and ankle-brachial index test results. Severe renal artery stenosis was defined as a lesion causing 70% obstruction. RESULTS: Severe renal artery stenosis was present in 32 of 82 (39%) patients. Patients with severe renal artery stenosis were older (63±12 vs 56±12 years, p=0.006), had more intermittent claudication (55 vs 45%, p=0.027), and had a greater prevalence of an ankle-brachial index <0.9 (44% vs 20%, p=0.021) than patients without severe renal artery stenosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of intermittent claudication was independently associated with renal artery stenosis ≥70% (OR: 3.33; 95% CI 1.03-10.82, p=0.04), unlike the ankle-brachial index, which showed no association (OR: 1.44; 95% CI 0.37-5.66, p=0.60). CONCLUSION: Intermittent claudication is independently associated with severe renal artery stenosis (≥70%) in patients clinically suspected of having renovascular hypertension.

nutcracker syndrome: an underdiagnosed cause for high grade varicocele

The nutcracker syndrome represents a clinical condition caused by compression of the left renal vein [LRV] between the superior mesenteric artery [SMA] and the aorta. One of its manifestations is left-sided varicocele. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of nutcracker syndrome in patients with primary and recurrent high grade left-sided varicocele. Fifty patients with primary and recurrent high grade left-sided varicocele were enrolled in this study. Color Doppler ultra-sonography [US] of renal vessels was done and diameter of LRV and peak systolic velocity [PSV] were measured in renal hilum and in site of compression of LRV be-tween SMA and the aorta and then magnetic resonance angiography [MRA] of renal vessels was done. Thirty six patients [72%] had primary high grade varicocele and 14 patients [28%] had recurrent high grade varicocele. Twelve patients [33%] with primary high grade varicocele and seven patients [50%] with recurrent varicocele had evidences of NCS in color Doppler US and MRA. The differences of LRV diameter in NCS group and in patients without NCS were statistically significant [P<0.001]. The differences of PSV in the LRV at the hilar portion in the NCS group and in the patients without NCS were not statistically significant. The differences of PSV in the LRV at the aortomesenteric portion in the NCS group and in the patients without NCS were statistically significant [P< 0.001]. In all patients with NCS, MRA showed dilatation and compression of LRV at site of passage between aorta and SMA. NCS should be suspected in patients with high grade primary and recurrent varicocele

Medicina nuclear en el tracto nefrourinario / Nuclear medicine in the nephrourinary tract

Nuclear medicine images play an important role in the evaluation of urinary tract pathologies. Radionuclide imaging studies (DMSA scan, DTPA/MAG3 renography, radionuclide cistography) are reviewed, analyzing their indications.

En el diagnóstico por imágenes de las enfermedades del sistema nefrourológico, la Medicina Nuclear juega un rol importante en determinadas patologías. Se revisan los diferentes exámenes empleados en la actualidad: cintigrafía renal DMSA, renograma isotópico DTPA/MAG3, cistografía isotópica y se analizan sus principales indicaciones.