Relative adrenal insufficiency in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is treated with rapid decrement of immunosuppressive therapy. This cannot be achieved with ease in patients on long-term glucocorticoid therapy, as chronically suppressed adrenal glands may not be capable of mounting adequate response to stress. A 52-year-old Caucasian male presented with fever, orthostatic hypotension, lymphadenopathy and hyponatraemia. Serum cortisol levels were within normal levels with a sub optimal response to stimulation by ACTH. Hyponatraemia and orthostasis responded poorly to fluid restriction, saline and salt repletion but corrected after increasing the steroid dose. The normal baseline cortisol levels represented a stimulated adrenal gland, however, the ACTH stimulation had inadequate response. This sub optimal stimulation and a good response to increased steroids suggest the presence of relative or occult adrenal insufficiency. Relative adrenal insufficiency must be considered in patients who have received prolonged glucocorticoid therapy and have symptoms such as hypotension and/or hyponatraemia.

Spontaneous re-canalization of thrombosed polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts.

Fibrinolysis is an important hemostatic process initiated either by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or pro-urokinase (pro-UK) released from endothelial cells. These agents act preferentially on plasminogen by converting it to the active molecule plasmin. This initiates the clot lysis process, which may take several days for completion. Most patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have PTFE grafts for chronic hemodialysis. When these grafts are thrombosed, they are either surgically revised or percutaneously thrombolysed. When these measures fail another access is created without removing the clotted graft. However, it is possible that de-clotting of these thrombosed PTFE grafts can occur spontaneously. Once the graft develops an endothelial lining, these cells can contribute to the fibrinolytic process by secreting tPA or pro-UK. Because this endothelial lining may be less developed than that of a normal vessel, the fibrinolytic process may occur at a slower rate or not at all. Frequent cannulation during hemodialysis can denude existing endothelium, further contributing to the inadequacy of the graft to initiate thrombolysis. In practice, once the PTFE is clotted, the graft is ignored if it is not considered for declotting. In such circumstances the re-canalization process could be overlooked, re-sulting in the unnecessary placement of additional accesses. Presented here are three patients with clotted grafts in which re-canalization occurred without intervention.

Predictors of the development of hyperkalemia in patients using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) are the antihypertensives of choice in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). ACEI by decreasing the synthesis of aldosterone, the main regulator of serum potassium, predispose to the development of hyperkalemia. Although hyperkalemia with administration of ACEI is uncommon in patients with a normal renal function, a preexisting abnormality in potassium hemostasis, as seen in patients with chronic renal failure, may increase the risk of hyperkalemia. METHOD: To determine the predictors of development of hyperkalemia (K >5.1 mEq/l) in patients on ACEI, we retrospectively reviewed medical records of 119 patients followed in our renal clinic. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 56 +/- (SD) 13 (range 20-84) years. Sixty-three percent were males, and 37% were females. Sixty-seven percent had a history of diabetes. Eighty five percent of the patients had CRF [creatinine clearance (CrCl) <80 ml/min]. The baseline serum Cr was 2.3 +/- 1.2 (range 0.6-6.9) mg/dl, and the CrCl was 50 +/- 27.5 ml/min. Of the 119 patients 46 (38.6%) developed hyperkalemia (mean K 5.68 +/- 0.3, range 5.2-6.7 mEq/l). Ninety-six percent of the patients who developed hyperkalemia had CRF, and 84% were diabetics. Pearson product-moment correlation revealed a significant positive correlation of hyperkalemia with Cr and a negative correlation of hyperkalemia with CrCl and HCO(3) (Cr: r = 0.42, p < 0.0001; CrCl: r = -0.34, p < 0.0001; HCO(3): r = -0.41, p < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed diabetes and serum creatinine to be the main predictors of hyperkalemia. In 31 patients hyperkalemia resolved either with a low-potassium (2 g/day) diet or with diet and a decrease in the dose of ACEI. In 15 patients ACEI had to be discontinued due to persistent hyperkalemia. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that hyperkalemia is common in patients with CRF on ACEI. The majority of the patients who develop hyperkalemia on ACEI have CRF and diabetes. A large number of patients with CRF require discontinuation of ACEI due to hyperkalemia and are deprived of their renoprotective effects.

Contrast-induced nephrotoxicity in renal allograft recipients.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous administration of radiographic contrast agents is an important cause of acute renal failure, accounting for one third of the cases of hospital-acquired acute renal failure in patients with native kidneys. The safety of intravenous contrast has not been studied in renal allograft recipients since the availability of cyclosporine as a maintenance immunosuppressive therapy. As patients with renal transplantation may be at a higher risk of contrast-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN) due to concomitant use of cyclosporine and higher prevalence of diabetes and renal insufficiency, we retrospectively studied development of CIN in these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 44 patients (1988 1997) with functioning renal allograft who underwent different intravenous or intraarterial contrast studies (ICS). Pre- and post-ICS renal function tests were done in 35 of these patients. The following were the various ICS done in these patients: coronary angiogram (6), CT scan with intravenous contrast ( 11), angiogram for evaluation of peripheral vascular disease (11), allograft angiogram with angioplasty (5), pulmonary angiogram (1) and intravenous pyelogram (1). The mean age of the patients was 42 +/- 2.1 years and the mean serum creatinine was 2.3 +/- 0.25 mg/dl (mean +/- SEM). Fourty percent of patients (14 of 35) had diabetes, and 25.7% (9 of 35) had chronic rejection. Ninety four percent (33 of 35) of the patients were taking cyclosporine at the time of ICS. RESULTS: Nine patients had > or = 25% increase in serum creatinine from baseline after ICS. Two of these patients were excluded from the analysis as renal functions in these patients had deteriorated prior to ICS and renal failure was attributed to sepsis. Of the remaining 7 patients, 5 had diabetes and 2 had chronic rejection. Only 4 of these 7 patients with CIN received prophylaxis (I/V hydration) prior to ICS. The baseline serum creatinines were not different in patients who had no change in renal function to those who developed CIN (1.97 +/- 0.20 vs 1.54 +/- 0.17 mg/dl, p = 1.5, mean +/- SEM). More than 50% increase in baseline serum creatinine was seen in only 3 of these 7 patients, 2 of these patients had diabetes and third had chronic rejection and congestive heart failure. None of these patients received prophylaxis for CIN. Dialysis was not required in any patient. Three patients also had a > 25% decrease in baseline serum creatinine after ICS, and all of them had allograft angiography with angioplasty for renal artery stenosis. CONCLUSION: In our retrospective study, the incidence of CIN in renal allograft recipients applying a broader classification of > or = 25% increase in baseline serum creatinine was 21.2% (7 of 33 patients). The incidence of CIN was lower 15.3% (4 of 26) in patients who received intravenous hydration compared to 42.8% (3 of 7) in patients who received no prophylaxis prior to ICS.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome and bilateral renal cortical necrosis in meningococcal sepsis.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome and bilateral renal cortical necrosis (BRCN) are rare complications of meningococcal sepsis associated with high mortality rates. We describe a 20-year-old man who presented with a 1-day history of fever, chills, malaise, and vomiting. He collapsed in the emergency room, requiring mechanical ventilation and intravenous vasopressors for resuscitation. He was noted to be anuric, and computed tomography showed adrenal hemorrhage and BRCN. Blood cultures later confirmed Neisseria meningitidis sepsis, and a biopsy confirmed renal cortical infarction. The patient was treated aggressively with intravenous antibiotics, corticosteroids, and immunoglobulins, in addition to plasmapheresis, dialysis, and supportive measures. He recovered his adrenal function and was discharged from the hospital, but he remains dialysis dependent. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of concomitant Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome and BRCN in a patient with meningococcal sepsis.

Growth of intramedullary lipoma in a renal transplant recipient.

BACKGROUND: Administration of glucocorticoids can lead to a variety of complications in addition to deposition of fat leading to cushingoid features. Corticosteroids, either endogenously produced or exogenously administered, are implicated in the growth of lipomas in different anatomic locations including the epidural space in the spinal cord causing cord compression. METHOD: We report a growth of lipoma in an unusual site in a 28-year-old female renal transplant recipient within 6 weeks of renal transplant surgery. RESULT: Our patient had an intradural lipoma that had merged with the medulla of the spinal cord making its total excision unfeasible without damaging the spinal cord. CONCLUSION: Epidural lipomas causing cord compression is documented in patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy. This is the first case of intramedullary lipoma of the spinal cord that may be related to steroid use.

Cardiopulmonary manifestations of Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is usually a mild condition involving the skin, gut, joints, and kidneys and has a good prognosis. We present a 63-year-old Hispanic man who had an unusually severe form of HSP with a fatal outcome attributable to vasculitis causing myocardial necrosis. There is only one citation in the literature of HSP-related myocardial vasculitis, which involved the right ventricle and was successfully treated with steroids. Our patient had severe HSP-related myocardial necrosis, tracheobronchitis, and nephritis. The bronchial lesions resolved, presumably because of steroid therapy. This probably is the first case of fatal myocardial necrosis related to HSP. We conclude that HSP can, in some cases, have an aggressive course. It becomes imperative to recognize the involvement of the other organ systems, such as the heart, so that appropriate therapy may be initiated. Immunosuppression may have a beneficial effect on extrarenal lesions. Controlled clinical trials are needed to establish the efficacy of such treatment.

Use of cefazolin for peritonitis treatment in peritoneal dialysis patients.

For over two decades, intraperitoneal administration of vancomycin and an aminoglycoside has been an accepted regimen for the empiric treatment of peritonitis in the peritoneal dialysis patient, until definite identification of the organism has been made. The recent emergence of vancomycin-resistant organisms has been of great concern in many centers. The current treatment recommendation therefore is to use cefazolin in place of vancomycin. We analyzed peritonitis data from January 1, 1996 to June 30, 1997, prior to switching over to cefazolin. Seventy-five percent (27 episodes) in 1997 as compared to 78% in 1996 were due to gram-positive organisms. Twenty-two percent (8 episodes) were due to gram- negative organisms in 1997, 21% in 1996, and 3% (1 episode) due to yeast in 1997, 3% in 1996. Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) caused 33% of the gram-positive peritonitis episodes in 1997 as compared to 37% in 1996. Twenty-two percent of the gram-positive episodes were due to Staphylococcus aureus (SA) in 1997 and 46% in 1996. Enterococcal infections were 26% in 1997 and 1% in 1996. All of these were confined to only 1 patient. The antibiogram revealed 100% sensitivity of both SA and SE to vancomycin and 100% sensitivity of SA to cefazolin, but only 11% sensitivity of SE to cefazolin. The same patient population had a 48% sensitivity of SE to cefazolin in 1996, showing a sudden and substantial increase in resistance to SE. Even though SE is thought to be a less virulent organism, treating patients with a high probability of being infected by SE with an antibiotic showing 89% resistance is not warranted.

Successful treatment of cisplatin-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome with therapeutic plasma exchange.

Cisplatin is a known cause of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The acute, fulminant form of cisplatin-induced HUS is almost always fatal. We present a 67-year-old Hispanic woman who was treated with cisplatin for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Three days after receiving the treatment, she presented with increasing fatigue, decreased urine output, and confusion. Physical examination was remarkable for tachycardia of 130 beats/min, peripheral edema, and mental obtundation. Laboratory investigations showed a white cell count of 5,500/microL, hemoglobin level of 9.6 g/dL, hematocrit of 29.6%, and platelet count of 13,000/microL. Schistocytes were present on peripheral smear. Screening for disseminated intravascular coagulation was negative. Serum chemistry values included blood urea nitrogen 111 mg/dL, creatinine 3.8 mg/dL, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 927 IU. The patient underwent hemodialysis and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), using fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Dialysis was no longer required after the fifth day. TPE was performed daily until the platelet count normalized on the 13th day, after which intertreatment intervals were extended until normalization of LDH levels on the 50th day. We conclude that the normally fatal, fulminant form of cisplatin-induced HUS can be successfully treated with standard TPE, using FFP replacement.

Carboplatin-related hematuria and acute renal failure.

Cisplatin is a potent tubular toxin with a high incidence of nephrotoxicity. Carboplatin is considered less nephrotoxic but can still cause tubular injury and interstitial nephritis in patients who have been previously treated with cisplatin. The affected individuals usually have nonoliguric renal failure with a urine output of more than a liter per day. We present a 57-year-old white woman with no history of renal disease who underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for stage IC ovarian carcinoma. One month later, she received chemotherapy with paclitaxel (Taxol) and carboplatin. On the following day, she developed frank hematuria and flank pain associated with a diminished urine output. Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) showed bilateral hydronephrosis with a total blockage of dye flow at the level of intraureteral lucencies consistent with bilateral blood clots. Her coagulation profile and uric acid was normal. Her acute renal failure (ARF) spontaneously resolved in the following 24 hours, with a brisk diuresis presumably due to clot lysis. The follow-up IVP showed a resolution of obstructive changes. A review of the literature shows a previous case in which high doses of carboplatin were implicated as the cause of hemorrhagic cystitis, presumably by toxicity to transitional epithelium of the bladder. We believe that the current case represents carboplatin-induced damage to the transitional epithelium in the renal pelvi and ureters causing gross hematuria and blood clots, resulting in bilateral ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis.

Posthysteroscopic hyponatremia: evidence for a multifactorial cause.

Hyponatremia, caused by absorption of hypotonic irrigating fluids, is a well-documented complication of surgical procedures such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Although not commonly mentioned in the renal literature, there have been several case reports of hyponatremia associated with hysteroscopic endometrial ablation that also were considered to be attributable to absorption of hypotonic fluid. We present a 43-year-old white woman who underwent endometrial ablation for menorrhagia under general anesthesia. Postoperative serum chemistries showed a sodium of 112 mEq/L and an osmolality of 234 mOsm/L, and urine chemistries showed a sodium of 125 mEq/L and an osmolality of 629 mOsm/L. Although fluid retention of hypotonic irrigating fluid clearly contributed to the hyponatremia, search for associated morbidity showed an absence of either osmotic or volume stimulus to account for the apparent antidiuretic effect, suggesting the participation of a postsurgical, stress-related ADH release. We conclude that hyponatremia associated with hysteroscopic endometrial ablation may be multifactorial.

Percutaneously inserted silastic jugular hemodialysis catheters seldom cause jugular vein thrombosis.

To find out whether internal jugular vein cannulation with a soft silastic hemodialysis access catheter causes jugular vein thrombosis, the authors carried out Doppler ultrasound examinations on 96 patients receiving hemodialysis who had undergone 144 separate catheter insertion episodes in 116 veins. Two internal jugular vein thromboses were found in 101 veins that had been the site of percutaneous insertions only. In addition, 5 internal jugular vein thromboses were identified in 15 veins that had been cannulated surgically with the Quinton PermCath. The authors conclude that percutaneous internal jugular vein cannulation for hemodialysis access causes an acceptably low incidence of jugular vein damage. This strengthens the case for preferential use of the internal jugular vein for vascular access in patients with end-stage renal failure, and suggests that percutaneous cannulation is less damaging than surgical insertion.