Myocardial Infarction in a Young Man With Nephrotic Syndrome

A 26-year-old man diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome (NS) 2 years previously presented with chest pain. An electrocardiogram (ECG) performed at a local hospital showed ST-elevation in chest leads. Cardiac troponin-I was significantly positive. Echocardiography revealed mild regional wall-motion abnormalities in the heart apex. Seven days later, angiography (CAG) revealed a thrombus in the left anterior descending branch (LAD). Tirofiban was injected into the LAD for thromboclasis. ECG after CAG showed the ST-segment was much lower than before. The diagnosis after CAG was ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) and thrombogenesis in the LAD. He continued to receive antiplatelet and anticoagulation medication and atorvastatin after CAG, and was discharged 3 days later. MI is very rare in young males, but the incidence of MI is 8 times higher than normal in patients with NS. For young patients with MI, clinicians should pay more attention to the history of previous diseases with high risk of thromboembolism and they should actively promote prevention and the treatment of renal disease patients to reduce the incidence of complications of thromboembolism.