Calcific uremic arteriopathy (CUA), termed calciphylaxis, is a rare but highly fatal clinical syndrome. There is no clearly laboratory diagnostic criteria for CUA. The medium and small arterial calcification and microthrombosis discovered by skin biopsy, radiologic imaging，bone scan and the evidence of activation of the bone morphogenetic protein signal (BMPs) transduction pathway are useful for early diagnosis of this disease. The common therapies (including intravenous sodium thiosulfate (STS) and bisphosphonates, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other symptomatic supports) are used for the management of wounds, pain, nutrition, dialysis and so on. Controlling the chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and some complications of dialysis and drugs (such as warfarin, active vitamin D) can prevent CUA. However, CUA patients still have poor prognosis and high mortality. Since some patients progress rapidly, it is of great importance to make early diagnosis and provide effective treatments with multidisciplinary management.
Calciphylaxis ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Renal Dialysis ; Uremia ; Warfarin

Uremic pleuritis is a fibrinous pleuritis of unknown pathogenesis in patients with chronic kidney disease. Although it responds to regular dialysis or repeated thoracentesis, cases that are refractory to those therapies have been reported. We report a case of uremic pleuritis which showed marked improvement following corticosteroid therapy. The effusion was exudate, and negative in cytology and microbiology. Pleural biopsy revealed chronic inflammation with fibrosis. The pleural effusion did not respond to chest tube drainage and continuance of hemodialysis. With a diagnosis of refractory uremic pleuritis, we started methylprednisolone. The pleural effusion responded to the treatment and resolved without complication.
Biopsy ; Chest Tubes ; Diagnosis ; Dialysis ; Drainage ; Exudates and Transudates ; Fibrin ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Methylprednisolone ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurisy* ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Thoracentesis ; Uremia

PURPOSE: To report a case of uremic optic neuropathy occurring in a patient with chronic renal failure. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old male who was diagnosed with chronic renal failure and treated with peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis for 17 years presented with blurred vision and a moving pain in his left eye for 2 days. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.2 in his left eye, and an inferior altitudinal visual field defect was noted on Humphrey perimetry. Fundus examination and optical coherence tomography showed optic disc swelling in his left eye; the right eye was unremarkable. These findings were compatible with a diagnosis of uremic optic neuropathy or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy of his left eye. After treatment of hemodialysis and intravenous high dose steroid pulse therapy, the BCVA in his left eye was 0.8. However, since he refused oral steroid maintenance therapy, his BCVA later decreased to 0.4. After treatment with subtenon triamcinolone injection, the BCVA in his left eye was 1.0 and showed a stable disease course. CONCLUSIONS: When patient with chronic renal failure presents with acute decrease in visual acuity and visual field defect, optic neuropathies including uremic optic neuropathy should be considered and prompt hemodialysis and systemic steroid treatment should be done.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Male ; Optic Nerve Diseases* ; Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Renal Dialysis ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Triamcinolone ; Uremia ; Visual Acuity ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields

No abstract available.
Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*adverse effects ; Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use ; Cephalosporins/*adverse effects ; Consciousness Disorders/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Diabetic Nephropathies/complications/*therapy ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Bacterial/complications/*drug therapy ; *Renal Dialysis ; Status Epilepticus/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Treatment Outcome ; Uremia/therapy

Ultrasound-guided cannulation of a large-bore catheter into the internal jugular vein was performed to provide temporary hemodialysis vascular access for uremia in a 65-yr-old woman with acute renal failure and sepsis superimposed on chronic renal failure. Despite the absence of any clinical evidence such as bleeding or hematoma during the procedure, a chest x-ray and computed tomographic angiogram of the neck showed that the catheter had inadvertently been inserted into the subclavian artery. Without immediately removing the catheter and applying manual external compression, the arterial misplacement of the hemodialysis catheter was successfully managed by open surgical repair. The present case suggests that attention needs to be paid to preventing iatrogenic arterial cannulation during central vein catheterization with a large-bore catheter and to the management of its potentially devastating complications, since central vein catheterization is frequently performed by nephrologists as a common clinical procedure to provide temporary hemodialysis vascular access.
Acidosis/complications ; Acute Disease ; Aged ; Catheterization, Central Venous/*adverse effects ; Female ; Hemorrhage/etiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*diagnosis ; Medical Errors/*prevention & control ; Oliguria/complications ; Renal Dialysis ; Sepsis/etiology ; Subclavian Artery/injuries/*radiography/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Uremia/etiology

Uremic encephalopathy is a well-known disease with typical MR findings including bilateral vasogenic or cytotoxic edema at the cerebral cortex or basal ganglia. Involvement of the basal ganglia has been very rarely reported, typically occurring in uremic-diabetic patients. We recently treated a patient who had non-diabetic uremic encephalopathy with an atypical lesion distribution involving the supratentorial white matter, without cortical or basal ganglia involvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of non-diabetic uremic encephalopathy with atypical MR findings.
Adult ; Brain Diseases, Metabolic/*diagnosis ; *Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Uremia/*complications

Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of acute renal failure in young children. It is classically characterized by the triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and uremia. Further, not only is intussusception one of the differential diagnoses of HUS but it may also become a complication during disease progression. We report a case of HUS preceded by intussusception in a previously healthy 17-month-old boy. The patient presented at the emergency department with bloody stools that developed the day after reduction of intussusception. HUS was diagnosed 4 days after the reduction of intussusception. The patient was provided only supportive care and his laboratory test findings were normal at discharge.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Disease Progression ; Emergencies ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome ; Humans ; Infant ; Intussusception ; Thrombocytopenia ; Uremia

Aged ; Echinocandins ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic ; pathology ; Lipopeptides ; Male ; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Uremia ; pathology

Pericardial tamponade is a life-threatening condition, as accumulated fluid in the pericardial sac can ultimately lead to fatal shock. The clinical identification of cardiac tamponade can be difficult to determine. Accurate diagnosis and prompt intervention are important to prevent adverse outcomes. Unexplained hypotension, enlarged cardiac silhouette, chest pain or dyspnea in a patient with underlying comorbidities, such as cancer, uremia or trauma history, constitute a high-risk population for pericardial effusions. The identifying cause of pericardial effusion and the understanding of the disease process are also important to prevent recurrent pericardial effusions. We report a case of malignant pericardial effusion with tamponade as an initial presentation in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma. The patient had typical features of tamponade such as neck vein distension, hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, muffled heart sound and cardiomegaly on chest X-ray. The pericardial effusion was confirmed by bedside echocardiography. Subsequently, ultrasound guided pericardiocentesis was performed and malignant cells were detected in the effusion by cytology. Eventually, lung adenocarcinoma was detected by CT-guided tissue biopsy. Hemodynamic changes, associated underlying causes, clinical presentations, radiologic findings, and the emergency management of cardiac tamponade were reviewed with the current literature.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Biopsy ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Cardiomegaly ; Chest Pain ; Comorbidity ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Emergencies ; Heart Sounds ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Neck ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Pericardiocentesis ; Shock ; Tachycardia ; Tachypnea ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography ; Uremia ; Veins

Although ultrasonography is regarded as the gold standard in the diagnosis of obstructive nephropathy, dilatation is sometimes not observed by ultrasonography. We report upon a case of minimally dilated obstructive nephropathy due to an ureter stone in a kidney donor with volume depletion. A 54-year-old man was admitted due to anuria and abdominal pain of 2 days duration. Ten years previously, his right kidney was donated for transplantation, and one month before admission, he abstained from all food except water and salt, for 30 days for religious reasons. He had lost 8 kg of body weight. On admission, he had clinical signs of volume depletion, i.e., a dehydrated tongue and decreased skin turgor. Laboratory data confirmed severe renal failure, his blood urea nitrogen level was 107.3 mg/dL, and his serum creatinine 16.5 mg/dL. The plain X-ray was unremarkable and ultrasonography showed only minimal dilatation of the renal collecting system. On follow-up ultrasonography, performed on the 5th hospital day, the dilatation of the collecting system had slightly progressed and a small stone was found at ureter orifice by cystoscopy. Removal of stone initiated dramatic diuresis with a rapid return of renal function to normal by the third day.
Anuria/*etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Human ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrosis, Lipoid/complications/*ultrasonography ; *Tissue Donors ; Uremia/*diagnosis ; Ureteral Calculi/*complications