On further investigation, patients are found to have thrombocytopenia, with platelet counts often below 20,000/μL; MAHA, evidenced as numerous schistocytes on a peripheral blood smear; and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)….
Atypical HUS (also called D-HUS because it lacks a diarrhea prodrome), in contrast, may occur for numerous reasons. In some patients, it appears to reflect dysregulated activation of the complement…
The responsible analgesics often included a mixture of different substances, including phenacetin, acetaminophen (phenacetin’s major metabolite), and other agents such as NSAIDs, codeine, aspirin, and caffeine. Although there was no…
TREATMENT The treatment of CTIN focuses on identifying and addressing correctable risk factors, such as medication use, metabolic abnormalities, and infections. Except in cases of neoplastic and hereditary disease, renal…
Immunofluorescence The pattern observed on immunofluorescent staining of the glomerulus for antibodies and/or complement proteins can often be described as granular, linear, or pauci-immune. These patterns offer clues into the…
Light Microscopy With light microscopy, the pattern of glomerular inflammation is often described as mesangial, endocapillary, and/or extracapillary (crescentic); focal or diffuse; and segmental or global. Mesangial/Endocapillary/Extracapillary (Crescentic). Inflammation can…
PRESENTATION AND DIAGNOSIS Acute interstitial nephritis typically manifests as AKI following the recent introduction of a new medication. Eighty percent of patients develop symptoms within 3 weeks of drug introduction,…
TREATMENT Initial treatment for acute interstitial nephritis includes discontinuation of all potential offending drugs and eradication of any potential infections. Once an offending drug has been identified it should never…
TREATMENT AND PROGNOSIS HN cannot be targeted with any specific medical treatment. Control of hypertension and proteinuria through renin-angiotensin blockade may slow the progression of glomerulosclerosis and renal insufficiency. The…
ANTI-GBM DISEASE Anti-GBM disease occurs when autoantibodies directly target the glomerular basement membrane, causing inflammation that almost always leads to RPGN. Because anti-GBM disease (either isolated or as part of…
