Kidney Transplant After Preexisting Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Induced by Goodpasture's Syndrome

Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease complicated by posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibody disease is a rare type of small-vessel vasculitis. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a syndrome of heterogeneous aetiologies grouped together based on similar neuroimaging findings. We report a rare case of a patient who received treatment for anti-GBM antibody disease who developed PRES. A 33-year-old woman presented with severe generalised oedema, proteinuria, haematuria, and cylindruria. She was diagnosed with anti-GBM antibody disease based on positive findings for anti-GBM antibodies and urinalysis. Haemodialysis was eventually required. She received steroid therapy, plasma exchange therapy, and intravenous cyclophosphamide, along with a red blood cell transfusion for progressive anaemia. After the transfusion, she experienced nausea, severe headache, visual hallucinations, and agitation followed by seizures and a rapid increase in blood pressure. Imaging studies led to a diagnosis of PRES. Renal failure improved with the decrease in anti-GBM antibodies, and haemodialysis was discontinued. Phenytoin was administered, and seizures disappeared. Although we cannot rule out the possibility that the treatment this patient underwent for anti-GBM antibody disease led to the development of PRES, we speculate that endothelial dysfunction leading to the development of PRES is caused not only by known risk factors such as cytotoxic agents, blood transfusions, or renal failure, but also by immunological abnormalities and subsequent inflammatory reactions due to anti-GBM antibody disease. These factors may be shared pathophysiologic mechanisms of PRES and anti-GBM antibody disease.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease complicated with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and subcortical cerebral hemorrhage: a case report and review of the literature

A 71-year-old woman was hospitalized for the treatment of fatigue, fever, and cough. On admission, she showed increased serum inflammation markers, severe anemia, pulmonary hemorrhage, and advanced acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis. Her serum anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody titer was found to be extremely high on the 7th hospital day. She was eventually diagnosed with anti-GBM disease. She was treated with a combination of corticosteroid pulse therapy, oral prednisolone and cyclophosphamide, and plasma exchange, but continued to require maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage kidney disease. During her treatment, she suddenly developed headache, blindness, seizure, and consciousness disturbance. She was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) with subcortical cerebral hemorrhage. Both the PRES and cerebral hemorrhage subsided soon after control of her hypertension and reinforcement of immunosuppressive treatment. PRES, particularly when accompanied by cerebral hemorrhage, may cause irreversible and lethal neurological abnormalities, and nephrologists should, therefore, be aware of the potential risk of PRES in patients with anti-GBM disease. We discuss the current case in the light of the previous literature.

Neurological Involvement in Primary Systemic Vasculitis

Primary systemic vasculitis can affect every structure in both the central and peripheral nervous system, causing varied neurological manifestations of neurological dysfunction. Early recognition of the underlying causes of the neurological symptoms can facilitate timely treatment and improve the prognosis. This review highlights the clinical manifestations of primary systemic vasculitis in the nervous system.