title: Tubulointerstitial macrophage infiltration in a patient with hypokalemic nephropathy and primary Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: We report a case of hypokalemic nephropathy associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). The patient presented with profound and persistent hypokalemia secondary to distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA). A renal biopsy exhibited tubular degeneration, marked interstitial fibrosis and intense macrophage infiltration. Hypokalemia has been reported to induce macrophage infiltration in experimental animal models but not in humans. This is the first report of intense tubulointerstitial macrophage infiltration in a patient with hypokalemic nephropathy associated with SS.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiiki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*