title: Chronic cholesterol crystal embolism with a spontaneous onset.
abstract: A 74-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of hypertension, blue toe syndrome and an elevation of serum creatinine from 0.8 to 1.4 mg/dl for eleven months. He had no history of invasive vascular procedures. Atherosclerosis was initially suspected, but renal impairment was accelerated following anticoagulant therapy. A renal biopsy established the diagnosis of cholesterol crystal embolism. Withdrawal of anticoagulants and the combination therapy with LDL apheresis and corticosteroids led to stabilization of the renal function. In patients with risk factors for atherosclerosis, cholesterol crystal embolism should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kurobe City Hospital, Toyama.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enomae
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001162:Arteriosclerosis Obliterans / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017700:Embolism, Cholesterol / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine