Cholesterol crystal embolism after coronary intervention / 中国介入心脏病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods Six patients with atherosclerosis presenting with simultaneous occurrence of acute renal failure and peripheral ischemic changes were diagnosed as cholesterol crystal embolism and their clinical data were analyzed. Results The patients, 5 men and 1 woman, had an average age of 72 years. Most of them had risk factors of atherosclerosis such as hypertension, diabetes and smoking. The levels of serum creatinine increased progressively after coronary angiography. All patients had concomitant skin lesions, including blue toes. Cutaneous biopsy of 1 patient found cholesterol emboli in arterioles. All patients received statins, and 2 received dialysis. Three patients died, and 3 patients remained chronic renal failure. Conclusion Since the morbidity of CCE is growing and the disease is iatrogenic in origin, special attention should be paid to this disease.