Acute renal infarction in Turkey: a review of 121 cases

Renal Embolism Associated with the Atrial Myxoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Renal embolisms due to cardiac myxomas are extremely rare; the clinical course, treatment, and prognosis of this disease are not established. A 69-year-old Japanese woman who underwent a nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier was hospitalized with a right occipital lobe cerebral infarction. Her renal function suddenly worsened 3 days post-admission: her serum creatinine rose from 1.46 mg/dL to 6.57 mg/dL and then to 8.03 mg/dL the next day, and hemodialysis therapy was started. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans showed patchy non-contrasted low-density areas in the right kidney, and chest CT scans and transesophageal ultrasonography revealed a left atrial tumor. We diagnosed renal infarction due to a left atrial myxoma. Hemodialysis and anticoagulant therapy (heparin) were continued, followed by the cardiac myxoma's resection. The patient's renal function gradually improved post-surgery, and the hemodialysis was discontinued. Considering our patient and 19 other case reports of renal infarction associated with cardiac myxoma, the treatment for such a renal infarction and the outcomes differ depending on the embolus site. The poor outcome of abdominal aortic embolism requires a prompt embolectomy, whereas a branch renal artery embolism requires anticoagulation therapy to prevent thrombosis formation around the myxoma.

Temporal Trend of the Incidence and Characteristics of Renal Infarction: Korean Nationwide Population Study

BACKGROUND

Large-scale studies about epidemiologic characteristics of renal infarction (RI) are few. In this study, we aimed to analyze the incidence and prevalence of RI with comorbidities in the South Korean population.

METHODS

We investigated the medical history of the entire South Korean adult population between 2013 and 2019 using the National Health Insurance Service database (n = 51,849,591 in 2019). Diagnosis of RI comorbidities were confirmed with International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Epidemiologic characteristics, distribution of comorbidities according to etiologic mechanisms, and trend of antithrombotic agents were estimated.

RESULTS

During the 7-years, 10,496 patients were newly diagnosed with RI. The incidence rate increased from 2.68 to 3.06 per 100,000 person-years during the study period. The incidence rate of RI increased with age peaking in the 70s with 1.41 times male predominance. The most common comorbidity was hypertension, followed by dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Regarding etiologic risk factor distribution, high embolic risk group, renovascular disease group, and hypercoagulable state group accounted for 16.6%, 29.1%, and 13.7% on average, respectively. For the antithrombotic treatment of RI, the prescription of antiplatelet agent gradually decreased from 17.0% to 13.0% while that of anticoagulation agent was maintained around 35%. The proportion of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants remarkably increased from only 1.4% to 17.6%.

CONCLUSION

Considering the progressively increasing incidence of RI and high prevalence of coexisting risk factors, constant efforts to raise awareness of the disease are necessary. The current epidemiologic investigation of RI would be the stepping-stone to establishing future studies about clinical outcomes and optimal treatment strategies.

Acute Renal Infarction Due to Symptomatic Isolated Spontaneous Renal Artery Dissection: A Rare and Fatal Disease

OBJECTIVE

To report demographics and clinical, laboratory, and imaging features of acute renal infarction (ARI) due to symptomatic isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection (SISRAD) and to analyze outcomes after the initial therapy for SISRAD.

METHODS

Thirteen patients with ARI due to SISRAD between January 2016 and March 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective study. We reviewed the demographics, clinical, laboratory, and imaging features (location of the infarct kidney, the branch artery involved by dissection, true lumen stenosis, false lumen thrombosis, and aneurysm), treatment modalities, and follow-up results; analyzed the difference between SISRAD and other causes of ARI; and propose an appropriate therapy strategy for SISRAD based on our data and literature.

RESULT

Patients with ARI due to SISRAD were mostly young men (43 [24-53] years; 12/13 [92%]). No patients had atrial fibrillation or acute kidney injury at admission (0/13). All 13 patients received conservative treatment as the initial treatment. Sixty-two percent (8/13) of patients progressed, and 88% (7/8) of them had dissection aneurysm on the admission computed tomographic angiography (CTA) image. Seventy-five percent (6/8) of patients underwent endovascular intervention as follows, stent placement in 1 patient, renal artery embolization in 1, and stent placement with embolization in 4. Two patients with disease progression died: 1 during the conservative treatment period and 1 after the stent placement. Thirty-eight percent (5/13) of patients in remission continued to receive conservative treatment, none of whom had dissection aneurysm on the admission CTA.

CONCLUSION

Symptomatic isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection is a rare and fatal disease. For young ARI patients with no previous history of tumors and cardiogenic diseases, CTA examination is recommended to exclude SISRAD. Dissection aneurysm seems to be a risk of progression for SISRAD in this series. Conservative treatment, a recognized initial treatment, has a good effect on patients without dissection aneurysm, and we recommend endovascular intervention as the initial treatment for the patient with dissection aneurysm at admission. Multicenter clinical studies are needed to explore a more-appropriate treatment for patients with SISRAD.

CLINICAL IMPACT

This article report the related factors, risks, demographics and laboratory data of Acute renal infarction (ARI) due to Symptomatic isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection (SISRAD) and explore a better initial therapy strategy for SISRAD. It will help improve the effectiveness of SISRAD treatment and reduce the mortality rate from this rare but lethal disease.

Bilateral traumatic renal artery dissection managed by endovascular therapy

We present the case of post-traumatic bilateral renal artery injury with renal perfusion disorder, successfully treated by endovascular treatment. This therapeutic approach avoided the need for long-term dialysis by maintaining a sufficient renal function. This case is an illustration of the feasibility and the efficiency of endovascular treatment in severe post-traumatic renal artery lesions.

Case Report: Acute Renal and Splenic Infarctions Secondary to Atrial Fibrillation

Acute renal and splenic infarctions are an uncommon condition that can result from obstruction or decrease of renal and splenic arterial flow. We described a 73-year-old woman who presented with right flank pain and nocturnal dyspnea. The computed tomography (CT) scan with intravenous contrast showed multiple infarcts in both bilateral kidneys and spleen. Serum creatinine clearance was impaired. Further investigation by electrocardiogram (ECG) and 24-h Holter revealed that the patient had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic findings were unremarkable except for severe spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in the left atrial appendage. The development of thromboembolic renal and splenic infarction was attributed to embolism caused by atrial fibrillation. Anticoagulant therapy was initiated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and followed by an oral anticoagulant. To manage PAF and prevent further embolism, the “One-stop” procedure, including atrial fibrillation catheter ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO), was applied to this patient. Follow-up at 1 month showed normal sinus rhythm, improved renal function, and relieved renal and splenic infarction.

When Bodybuilding Goes Wrong—Bilateral Renal Artery Thrombosis in a Long-Term Misuser of Anabolic Steroids Treated with AngioJet Rheolytic Thrombectomy

Bilateral renal infarction is an extremely rare condition with only few cases reported in the literature. We present a case of bilateral renal infarction affecting an otherwise healthy 34 year old bodybuilder chronically misusing testosterone and stanozolol. The patient presented with severe flank pain mimicking renal colic and biochemical features of acute kidney injury. Diagnostic workup revealed thrombosis affecting both renal arteries. Subsequently, the patient underwent a percutaneous rheolytic thrombectomy with AngioJet catheter, along with catheter-directed thrombolysis. Right-sided retroperitoneal hematoma developed as an early complication, mandating surgical exploration and nephrectomy due to kidney rupture and the unstable condition of the patient. Intensive care and continuous renal replacement therapy were instigated until a gradual improvement of the patient status and a return of kidney function was achieved. No abnormalities were found in the cardiological and hematological evaluation. We believe this is a first report of bilateral renal infarction associated with anabolic steroid misuse in an otherwise healthy individual, and a first report of AngioJet thrombectomy in bilateral thrombosis of renal arteries. It stresses the importance of a thorough diagnostic workup of colic patients and emphasizes the need for sports medicine to reach out to amateur athletes with education on the harms of doping.

Predictors of renal infarction in patients presenting to the emergency department with flank pain: A retrospective observational study

Objectives

Flank pain is a common symptom in the emergency department and can be caused by a variety of diseases. Renal infarction (RI) is a very rare disease, and many RI patients complain of flank pain. However, there is no definitive predictor of RI when patients complain of flank pain. This study aimed to identify the clinical factors for predicting RI in patients with flank pain.

Methods

This retrospective single-center study was conducted on patients complaining of flank pain from January 2016 to March 2020 at a South Korean tertiary care hospital. Exclusion criteria included patients who did not undergo contrast-enhanced computed tomography, age < 18 years, and trauma. Demographic and laboratory data were obtained from medical records. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of RI occurrence.

Results

In all, 2,131 patients were enrolled, and 39 (1.8%) had RI. From a multivariable logistic regression analysis, an age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.249; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.366–7.725; p = 0.008), male sex (OR, 2.846; 95% CI, 1.190–6.808; p = 0.019), atrial fibrillation (OR, 10.386; 95% CI, 3.724–28.961; p < 0.001), current smoker (OR, 10.022; 95% CI, 4.565–22.001; p < 0.001), and no hematuria (OR, 0.267; 95% CI, 0.114–0.628; p = 0.002) were significantly associated with the occurrence of RI.

Conclusions

Five clinical factors, i.e., age ≥ 65 years, male sex, atrial fibrillation, current smoker, and no hematuria, were significantly associated with the occurrence of RI in patients with flank pain.

Renal Microvascular Ischemia Secondary to Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), widely prescribed for pain, can affect kidneys in various ways. We present a case of a 37-year-old woman with multiple NSAIDs intake over a short period for dysmenorrhea followed by the development of new-onset bilateral flank pain. Computed tomography revealed bilateral multiple renal infarcts. Renal function was normal. Investigations showed no cardiac or renal artery lesion and vasculitis work-up was negative. She was treated conservatively and further NSAID intake was avoided. Follow-up scan showed complete restoration of the blood flow in previously affected areas. Thus, microvascular ischemia secondary to NSAIDs was thought to be responsible.

Clinical differentiation between acute renal infarction and acute ureteral stone in the emergency department: A single-center retrospective case-control study

BACKGROUND

Few studies have compared renal infarction (RI) and ureteral stone (US), so there is insufficient evidence for emergency clinicians (ECs) to quickly suspect RI during the first assessment. Therefore, we compared the initial clinical presentation and laboratory findings of these diseases in the emergency department (ED) to determine a factor that may indicate RI.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective case-control study included 42 patients with acute RI and 210 with US who visited the ED from 2014 to 2020. Medical record data from first ED arrival were investigated, and clinical presentations, blood and urine test results obtained in the ED were compared and analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

ECs never suspected the initial diagnosis of RI as RI. The most common initial diagnosis was US (40.5%). Among patients with US, 150 patients (71.4%) were suspected of having US (p < 0.001). Abdominal pain (61.9%) was the most common chief complaint in the RI group, and flank pain (73.8%) was the most common in the US group (p < 0.001). 27 factors showed significant differences between the groups. Among those, age ≥ 70 years (odds ratio [OR]: 311.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-47,833.1), history of A-fib (OR: 149872.8, 95% CI: 289.4-7.8E+07), fever ≥37.5 °C (OR: 297.3, 95% CI: 3.3-27,117.8), Cl^- ≤ 103 mEq/L (OR: 9.0, 95% CI: 1.0-80.1), albumin ≤4.3 g/dL (OR: 26.6, 95% CI: 2.1-330.3), LDH ≥500 IU/L (OR: 17.9, 95% CI: 1.8-182.5), and CRP ≥0.23 mg/dL (OR: 7.5, 95% CI: 1.1-52.3) showed significantly high ORs, whereas urine RBCs (OR: 0, 95% CI: 0-0.02) showed a low OR (p < 0.05). The regression model showed good calibration (chi-square: 6.531, p = 0.588) and good discrimination (area under the curve = 0.9913).

CONCLUSIONS

When differentiating acute RI from US in the ED, age ≥ 70 years, history of A-fib, fever ≥37.5 °C, LDH ≥500 IU/L, Cl^- ≤ 103 mEq/L, albumin ≤4.3 g/dL, CRP ≥0.23 mg/dL and negative urine RBC result suggest the possibility of RI.

Establishing Background Pathologic Changes of Valve Replacement Surgery in Sheep

Purpose

Sheep are the standard preclinical model for assessing safety of novel replacement heart valves, yet the anatomic and pathologic effects of invasive surgery, including those involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), are unknown. Thus, we aimed to determine the gross, hematologic and biochemical effects of sham mitral and aortic replacement valve procedures in sheep to establish a useful control for evaluation of novel replacement valves.

Methods

Six control sheep were examined without any surgical intervention. Six sham mitral valve replacements (MVR) and six sham aortic valve replacements (AVR) were performed on 12 sheep. Complete blood counts and serum biochemistry were performed throughout the study. Sheep were sacrificed with a necropsy performed at 90 days.

Results

Renal infarcts (RIs) were the most frequently observed lesion, averaging 4.7 in control sheep, 2.5 with MVR and 5.8 with AVR. The number of infarcts strongly correlated with total estimated area of infarcted kidney (r = .84, p < .01). Additional cardiac interventions were significantly correlated with increased numbers of RIs (r = .85, p < .01). There was no correlation between number of RIs and time on CPB, or between AVR and MVR procedures.

Conclusion

The sheep model for AVR and MVR requires invasive surgery and CPB, which are associated with background anatomic and pathologic changes, especially in cases with additional surgical cardiac interventions. These findings serve as a critical control for future evaluation and development of novel replacement valves in order to distinguish device-related safety issues from expected outcomes of the surgical procedure and normal background changes in sheep.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13239-021-00563-6.

Acute renal infarction: long-term renal outcome and prognostic factors

INTRODUCTION

Acute renal infarction is a rare occurence, whose  prognosis and long-term outcomes remain poorly studied. This study evaluated whether clinical and radiological features at diagnosis can be associated with the long-term outcomes (blood pressure, kidney function and mortality).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the demographic, clinical, biological and radiological data of patients with acute renal infarction hospitalized at Rennes University Hospital between 1997 and 2017 (n = 94).

RESULTS

Patients were followed-up for a median of 60 months. At time of diagnosis of acute renal infarction median age was 53 years, 45% of the patients had acute hypertension, and 31% had Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) requiring dialysis in seven patients. The median Lactate DeHydrogenase (LDH) level was 977 IU/mL. The median extent of kidney damage was 14%, with left renal involvement in 51% of patients. At 60 months of follow-up, 66% of patients had developed Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) stage 3 or higher, and 55% had hypertension since diagnosis. Age, acute development of hypertension and AKI at diagnosis were associated with long-term CKD (stage 3 or higher) in multivariate analyses, but the extent of kidney damage was not. During the follow-up, 21% of patients died, and only age resulted as a predisposing factor. No tested factor was correlated with long-term hypertension.

DISCUSSION

Age, acute development of hypertension, and AKI were correlated with long term CKD, whereas no factor was correlated with long-term hypertension after acute renal infarction.

Acute Bilateral Renal Infarction: An Unusual Complication After Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery

Bilateral renal infarction is an uncommon clinical condition that is frequently misdiagnosed. Its various mechanisms mainly include thrombotic and embolic. We report the case of a 51-year-old Moroccan woman, who presented with acute bilateral renal infarction three days following mitral valve replacement surgery of probable embolic origin despite curative heparin. Her renal function did not improve, and the patient developed chronic renal failure. Diagnosing bilateral renal infarction is challenging, especially in the postoperative period of mechanical mitral valve replacement surgery. Curative heparin therapy does not totally protect (100%) against this serious complication. This case study aimed to raise awareness of this rare clinical condition after cardiac surgery.

Bilateral renal infarction in a patient with severe COVID-19 infection

Thromboembolic events are frequent in patients with COVID-19 infection, and no cases of bilateral renal infarctions have been reported. We present the case of a 41-year-old female patient with diabetes mellitus and obesity who attended the emergency department for low back pain, respiratory failure associated with COVID-19 pneumonia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and shock. The patient had acute kidney injury and required hemodialysis. Contrast abdominal tomography showed bilateral renal infarction and anticoagulation was started. Kidney infarction cases require high diagnostic suspicion and possibility of starting anticoagulation.

Multiple renal infarctions in a patient caused by granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a small-vessel vasculitis that is highly associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. GPA carries an increased risk of organ infarction, but renal infarction is rare. We herein describe a case of multiple renal infarctions caused by GPA. A 66-year-old man presented with hearing loss, nasal discharge, fatigue, and weight loss for several months. Cross-sectional contrast-enhanced computed tomography images revealed multiple low-attenuation areas in both kidneys. He subsequently developed fever and impaired renal function. Blood serum was positive for cytoplasmic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and a renal biopsy showed granulomatous necrotizing vasculitis. He was diagnosed with GPA and treated with high-dose corticosteroids, plasma exchange, and cyclophosphamide. The patient ultimately entered clinical remission.

Renal arteriography with endovascular ultrasound for the management of renal infarction patients

Background

Renal infarction (RI) is a rare disease with poor prognosis. Appropriate secondary prevention treatment is essential and requires an exhaustive etiological assessment. We aimed to determine whether invasive endovascular explorations may improve the diagnostic process and change the secondary prevention treatment strategy in RI patients.

Methods

We report a retrospective observational study of 25 RI patients referred to Tours University Hospital between 2011 and 2018 for etiological investigation including renal arteriography and intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS). We sought for antithrombotic treatment regimen, vital status, bleeding and ischemic outcomes during the median follow-up of 59 months.

Results

Invasive explorations showed local arterial disease in 14 patients (56%). This led to a diagnosis or change in diagnosis in 9 patients (36%) and to a change in antithrombotic strategy in 56% of cases, with an increased prescription of antiplatelet therapy. No patient died, only two patients (8%) had persistent mild renal insufficiency. One IVUS complication was reported and treated without any significant long-term consequences.

Conclusion

Invasive endovascular investigations of RI may modify the secondary prevention treatment through a better assessment of the aetiology of RI. Multicentric randomized studies are necessary to advocate the hypothesis that invasive exploration of renal artery can improve long-term prognosis.