Fulminant cerebral infarctions with membranous nephropathy.
BACKGROUND
Arterial thromboses, including cerebral infarction, are a rare complication of the nephrotic syndrome.


METHODS
A 37-year-old woman presented with right upper extremity ischemia, left middle cerebral artery thrombosis, and right cerebellar infarction. She quickly herniated, and postmortem evaluation revealed membranous nephropathy. Increased fibrinogen and decreased free protein S levels were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Membranous nephropathy can lead to rapidly progressive cerebral infarctions, with possible fatality. There is not a unifying hematologic explanation for the strokes seen with nephrotic syndrome.
Chaturvedi
S
S
Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Boston.
D000328:Adult; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D015433:Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D017293:Protein S / Q000097:blood; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology
D017293:Protein S; D005340:Fibrinogen