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Renal Artery Stenosis Secondary to Cytomegalovirus Infection in an Infant
Khadija Belcadi1, Hind Lachraf2, Hajar Belmkaddem1
1Unit of Neuropediatrics and Neurometabolic Diseases, Department of Pediatrics II, Children's Hospital of Rabat, Ibn Sina University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco.
Insights
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can cause renal artery stenosis in infants, leading to hypertension. Early antiviral treatment can reverse this condition, highlighting CMV as a potential cause of pediatric renal artery stenosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Renal artery stenosis is a rare cause of secondary hypertension in infants.
- Infectious etiologies, like cytomegalovirus (CMV), are uncommon causes of renal artery stenosis.
Background:
Renal artery stenosis is an uncommon cause of secondary hypertension in infants and is rarely related to infectious etiologies such as cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Case Summary:
We report a 5-month-old infant who was admitted for afebrile status epilepticus and found to have severe hypertension. Imaging revealed focal stenosis of the right renal artery. Virological investigations confirmed active CMV infection. The patient was treated with intravenous ganciclovir, leading to normalization of blood pressure and complete radiological resolution of the stenosis within 6 weeks.
Discussion:
CMV has a known endothelial tropism and may induce inflammatory vascular lesions. Renal artery involvement outside the transplant setting is exceptionally rare. This case highlights a reversible inflammatory vasculopathy related to CMV infection.
Take-Home Messages:
CMV infection should be considered in infants presenting with unexplained renal artery stenosis. Early antiviral therapy may lead to complete reversibility without invasive intervention.
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