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Long-term outcome of biopsy-proven cholesterol crystal embolism
Naoya Toriu1, Keiichi Sumida2, Hiroki Mizuno2
1Nephrology Center, Toranomon Hospital Kajigaya, 1-3-1, Takatsu, Kawasaki, Tokyo, Kanagawa, 212-0015, Japan. ntoriu@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Insights
Cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) causes kidney damage and increases the risk of dialysis. Renal function decline after CCE, even after six weeks, significantly elevates the risk of needing dialysis.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiovascular Science
- Pathology
Background:
- Cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) is a known cause of renal damage, with a high risk of end-stage renal disease.
- The temporal pattern of CCE-induced kidney deterioration and subsequent dialysis risk remains poorly understood.
- This study investigates the long-term renal outcomes and dialysis risk in patients with biopsy-proven CCE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the association between declining renal function after CCE and the risk of requiring dialysis.
- To analyze the impact of different time courses (acute, subacute, chronic) of renal function decline on dialysis risk.
- To identify predictors of dialysis initiation in patients with CCE.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 38 Japanese patients diagnosed with CCE between 1992 and 2005.
- Competing risk regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between renal function decline and dialysis risk.
- Adjustments were made for age, baseline serum creatinine, and the cause of CCE (iatrogenic or spontaneous).
Main Results:
- During a median follow-up of 25.9 weeks, 35.9% of patients initiated dialysis.
- Declining renal function was significantly associated with an increased risk of dialysis (SHR 9.47).
- Subacute and chronic patterns of renal function decline showed a significantly higher risk of dialysis compared to no decline.
Conclusions:
- Declining renal function following CCE is a significant predictor of subsequent dialysis initiation.
- The risk of dialysis is elevated even when renal function decline occurs later than six weeks post-CCE.
- These findings highlight the importance of monitoring renal function in CCE patients to predict long-term outcomes.
Background:
Cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) causes renal damage, and there is an extremely high risk of end-stage renal disease. However, the time course of CCE-related renal deterioration varies and little is known about the subsequent risk of dialysis among patients with biopsy-proven CCE.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective cohort study of 38 Japanese patients in whom a histological diagnosis of CCE was made from September 1992 to July 2005. Competing risk regression analysis was used to investigate the association between declining renal function ( ≥ 1.5 elevation of serum creatinine within 26 weeks after CCE) or its subtypes (acute [ < 1 week after CCE], subacute [1 to < 6 weeks], and chronic [6 to < 26 weeks]) and the risk of dialysis, with adjustment for age, baseline serum creatinine, and the precipitating event (iatrogenic or spontaneous).
Results:
During a median follow-up period of 25.9 weeks, 14 patients (35.9%) started dialysis. Multivariable analysis showed that patients with declining renal function had a higher risk of commencing dialysis than those without declining function (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 9.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-66.8). Patients with different renal presentations had a similarly increased risk of commencing dialysis, with the risk being significantly higher for the subacute and chronic patterns of declining renal function (adjusted SHR [95% CI] for acute, subacute, and chronic declining renal function[vs. no decline]: 7.36 [0.85-63.6], 11.9 [1.36-101], and 10.7 [1.49-77.0], respectively).
Conclusion:
Declining renal function after CCE, even later than 6 weeks, was significantly associated with the subsequent risk of dialysis.
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