title: Thrombotic microangiopathy associated with alpha-interferon therapy for chronic myelocytic leukemia.
abstract: A 31-year-old man diagnosed as having chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) developed renal insufficiency with nephrotic-range proteinuria during alpha-interferon (IFN) therapy for CML. A renal biopsy specimen showed remarkable thrombotic microangiopathic lesions resembling those of hemolytic-uremic syndrome. The patient had papules on both lower legs, and a cutaneous biopsy showed similar microangiopathic lesions in dermal and subcutaneous vessels. Although discontinuation of IFN and initiation of prednisolone therapy resulted in resolution of proteinuria, renal insufficiency persisted. These findings suggest that long-term IFN therapy can induce late-onset thrombotic microangiopathy in systemic microvessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Shinjuku-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higashihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nitta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nihei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha