Fibrosis sistémica nefrogénica: la pandemia que no fue / Causal relationship between the use of gadolinium based contrast media and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a severe iatrogenic disease that affect patients with impaired renal function exposed to gadolinium-based contrast agents. Clinically, symptoms develop within days or weeks after the exposure and mimic a scleromyxedema. The causal relationship between use of gadolinium-based contrast agents and NSF led to develop clinical guidelines aiming to limit the use of this contrast medium in high risk patients. These guidelines decreased the incidence of NSF in the last years. Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for NSF yet. Thus, strict adherence to current guidelines is key to prevent new cases. Renal dysfunction is increasingly common in our population. Therefore, practicing physicians should be aware of this potential complication of the use of gadolinium based contrast media.

Gadolinio y fibrosis sistémica nefrogénica / Gadolinium and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

Inicialmente llamada dermopatía fibrosante nefrogénica, la fibrosis sistémica nefrogénica (FSN) está fuertemente ligada a la inyección endovenosa de medios de contraste -basados en gadolinio- en pacientes con insuficiencia renal. En esta revisión corta se analiza la fisiopatología y la clínica, la responsabilidad del radiólogo en la prevención a través de la puesta en práctica de las reglamentaciones vigentes y, por último, se mencionan algunos conceptos sobre el tratamiento de los pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica que deben exponerse a la inyección de gadolinio...

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: A review of the new conundrum.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is an idiopathic, sclerosing condition that occurs only in patients who have impaired renal function. Although its most conspicuous manifestation is in the skin, the condition involves multiple organ systems and is potentially fatal. Its postulated association with gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agents has attracted attention. The distinctive clinical features of this entity include a prodromal systemic inflammatory syndrome followed by a chronic course of fibrosis that has a predilection for the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the extremities. The progressive systemic fibrosing process involves multiple organs and contributes to the morbidity and the increased mortality. Appropriate preventive action, prompt recognition and timely reporting of cases may enable better management of this condition.

Fibrose sistêmica nefrogênica: uma complicação grave do uso do gadolínio em pacientes com insuficiência renal / Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: a severe complication of use to gadolinium in patients with kidney failure

Fibrose sistêmica nefrogênica (FSN), também conhecida como dermopatia fibrosante nefrogênica (DFN), é uma condição que ocorre apenas em pacientes com disfunção renal. Além das lesões cutâneas, esta síndrome inclui fibrose de músculo esquelético, articulações, fígado, pulmão e coração e pode ser fatal. Esta doença foi primeiramente descrita em 1997 e vários estudos descrevem a relação etiológica da FSN com a exposição a agentes de contraste contendo gadolínio, usado em exames de ressonância magnética. Esta revisão tem como objetivo alertar médicos clínicos e nefrologistas sobre essa nova patologia que acomete pacientes com alteração da função renal, demonstrando aspectos demográficos e epidemiológicos, apresentação clínica, diagnóstico e prognóstico além das opções de prevenção e terapêuticas atuais. Concluímos que todo paciente apresentando creatinina sérica elevada deve ter sua função renal (clearance de creatinina) estimada, visando a segurança na realização da ressonância magnética.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD), is a condition that has occurred only in patients with renal insufficiency. Besides lesions of the skin, this syndrome include fibrosis of skeletal muscle, joints, liver, lung, and heart, with possible fatal outcomes. This disease was first described in 1997 and several reports described the development of NSF after the exposure to gadolinium-based magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. This review aims to alert physicians and nephrologists about this new pathology that affects patients with renal dysfunction, describing its demographic and epidemiologics aspects, clinic presentation, diagnosis and prognosis, beyond options to prevent and current treatment. We concluded that in all patient with elevated serum creatinine physicians should estimade his kidney function (creatinine clearence) in order to safety of magnetic resonance.