Multicentric Castleman disease of hyaline vascular variant presenting with unusual systemic manifestations: a case report

Background

Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder presenting with localized or disseminated lymphadenopathy and systemic manifestations. It can be categorized in numerous ways, such as unicentric versus multicentric, histopathological variants (hyaline-vascular, plasma cell, and mixed), or subtypes based on causative viral infections (human immunodeficiency virus, human herpesvirus-8, or Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus). Presentation ranges from asymptomatic to symptoms involving multiple organs. Even though the exact mechanism of pathogenesis is unknown, treatment is directed toward possible etiologies such as interleukin-6, cluster of differentiation 20, and viral agents.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old Sri Lankan woman presented with generalized body swelling and foamy urine of 2 weeks’ duration. Examination revealed pallor; generalized edema; axillary, cervical, and inguinal lymphadenopathy; hypertension; and hepatomegaly. Investigations showed bicytopenia, nephrotic range proteinuria with hypoalbuminemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and features of hyaline-vascular type Castleman disease in a lymph node biopsy. She was managed with rituximab and had good clinical improvement.

Conclusions

Castleman disease has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, disease pathogeneses, and associations and/or complications. Medical professionals need to be familiar with this spectrum because timely diagnosis and aggressive targeted therapy are the cornerstones of managing these patients.

Endemic chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka: Correlation of pathology with clinical stages

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDU) is endemic among the rural farming communities in several localities in and around the North Central region of Sri Lanka. This is an interstitial type renal disease and typically has an insidious onset and slow progression. This study was conducted to identify the pathological features in the different clinical stages of CKDU. This is a retrospective study of 251 renal biopsies identified to have a primary interstitial disease from regions endemic for CKDU. Pathological features were assessed and graded in relation to the clinical stage. The mean age of those affected by endemic CKDU was 37.3 ± 12.5 years and the male to female ratio was 3.3:1. The predominant feature of stage I disease was mild and moderate interstitial fibrosis; most did not have interstitial inflammation. The typical stage II disease had moderate interstitial fibrosis with or without mild interstitial inflammation. Stage III disease had moderate and severe interstitial fibrosis, moderate interstitial inflammation, tubular atrophy and some glomerulosclerosis. Stage IV disease typically had severe interstitial fibrosis and inflammation, tubular atrophy and glomerulosclerosis. The mean age of patients with stage I disease (27 ± 10.8 years) was significantly lower than those of the other stages. About 79.2%, 55%, 49.1% and 50% in stage I, II, III and IV disease respectively were asymptomatic at the time of biopsy.

Chronic kidney disease in snake envenomed patients with acute kidney injury in Sri Lanka: a descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Data on the long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in envenomed patients leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) are scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate this issue and to determine the predictive factors in developing CKD.

METHODS

The records of a series of 54 patients who had AKI following a snakebite during the period 2004-2009 and who had been followed up were reviewed in the nephrology unit, Kandy, Sri Lanka. The primary outcome measure was the failure of renal functions to return to normal within 1 year. The renal histology was studied in seven patients.

RESULTS

The mean age of the group was 50 years (SD 13 years) and 39 (72%) patients were men. The offending snakes were Russell's viper and hump-nosed viper in 15 (28%) and 13 (24%) patients, respectively. At 1 year, 20 patients (37%) had developed CKD (CKD group) and the rest (63%) had recovered (recovered group). The acute stage serum creatinine was high in both groups with no difference (on admission, p=0.134; on discharge, p=0.323), but the CKD group showed significantly high serum creatinine at 2 months after AKI (p=0.004). Mean duration of renal replacement therapy (RRT) of the recovered group and CKD group were 7 (SD 5) and 16 (SD 12) days, respectively (p=0.015). Renal histology of six CKD patients showed predominant glomerular sclerosis and interstitial nephritis.

CONCLUSIONS

CKD is an outcome of severe AKI following snake envenoming probably predicted by the length of RRT.

Chronic kidney disease in snake envenomed patients with acute kidney injury in Sri Lanka: a descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Data on the long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in envenomed patients leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) are scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate this issue and to determine the predictive factors in developing CKD.

METHODS

The records of a series of 54 patients who had AKI following a snakebite during the period 2004-2009 and who had been followed up were reviewed in the nephrology unit, Kandy, Sri Lanka. The primary outcome measure was the failure of renal functions to return to normal within 1 year. The renal histology was studied in seven patients.

RESULTS

The mean age of the group was 50 years (SD 13 years) and 39 (72%) patients were men. The offending snakes were Russell's viper and hump-nosed viper in 15 (28%) and 13 (24%) patients, respectively. At 1 year, 20 patients (37%) had developed CKD (CKD group) and the rest (63%) had recovered (recovered group). The acute stage serum creatinine was high in both groups with no difference (on admission, p=0.134; on discharge, p=0.323), but the CKD group showed significantly high serum creatinine at 2 months after AKI (p=0.004). Mean duration of renal replacement therapy (RRT) of the recovered group and CKD group were 7 (SD 5) and 16 (SD 12) days, respectively (p=0.015). Renal histology of six CKD patients showed predominant glomerular sclerosis and interstitial nephritis.

CONCLUSIONS

CKD is an outcome of severe AKI following snake envenoming probably predicted by the length of RRT.