[Atheroembolic renal disease: a cause of acute renal failure not much explored]

Atheroembolism is a multisytemic disease which affects many organs, including the kidneys, by the release of cholesterol emboli to tissues from an erosed atherosclerotic plaque, causing vascular obstruction in many tissues. The atheroembolic renal disease (AERD) is histologically represented by cholesterol crystals in renal arterioles with an inflammatory infiltrate around the vessels, and causes acute renal failure that may be severe and prolonged, weeks or even months after the embolic episode. The AERD carries a bad prognosis, with a high mortality. We herein report a case of a patient presenting AERD which was manifested two months after he was submitted to a cardiac catheterism and coronary angioplasty. The prevalence, clinical findings, renal histology, treatment and prognosis of AERD are discussed.