Lemierre's syndrome associated with consumption coagulopathy and acute renal failure: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Acute tonsillitis or pharyngitis may lead to suppurative thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. This complication, also known as Lemierre's syndrome, remains, even nowadays, life threatening, due to dissemination of septic thromboemboli to various organs. Respiratory deficiency and renal impairment are often reported in patients suffering from Lemierre's syndrome.


METHODS
The unusual clinical manifestation of this case involves severe acute renal and respiratory deficiency in addition to microangiopathic consumption coagulopathy in a young patient treated with macrolides five days after the onset of acute tonsillitis.


CONCLUSIONS
The usual causative pathogen, namely Fusobacterium necrophorum, shows a varying sensitivity to macrolides. As a result, the syndrome may present itself in a variety of clinical forms even in patients under treatment with macrolides. A high index of suspicion is therefore crucial for in time prevention of potentially life threatening complications.
Georgopoulos
S
S
ENT Department, Elpis General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Korres
S
S
Riga
M
M
Balatsouras
D
D
Kotsis
G
G
Ferekidis
E
E
D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005674:Fusobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005675:Fusobacterium necrophorum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013577:Syndrome; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D008795:Metronidazole