Clinical presentation and management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in Latin America: a narrative review of the literature.

Introduction: Comprehensive information about atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is relatively scarce outside of Europe and North America. This narrative review assembles available published data about the clinical presentation and management of aHUS in Latin America.

Areas Covered: A search conducted in February 2023 of the MEDLINE (from inception), Embase (from inception), and LILACS/IBECS (1950 to 2023) databases using search terms 'atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome' and 'Latin America' and their variations retrieved 51 records (full papers and conference abstracts) published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Development and Validation of a New Score to Assess the Risk of Posttransplantation Diabetes Mellitus in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background: Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a serious complication of solid organ transplantation. It is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events, which are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant patients. This study aimed to develop and validate a score to predict the risk of PTDM in kidney transplant recipients.

Nephrotic syndrome as a manifestation of thrombotic microangiopathy due to long-term use of sunitinib.

Nephrotic syndrome in patients with cancer may be related to the primary malignancy or chemotherapeutic therapy. Solid organ cancers may cause membranous glomerulonephritis which is manifested by nephrotic syndrome; other less common histologic presentations include focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and minimal change disease. In addition, chemotherapy agents may cause renal toxicity by affecting the small blood vessels, glomeruli, tubules, and interstitium.

Nephrotic syndrome as a manifestation of thrombotic microangiopathy due to long-term use of sunitinib.

Nephrotic syndrome in patients with cancer may be related to the primary malignancy or chemotherapeutic therapy. Solid organ cancers may cause membranous glomerulonephritis manifesting with nephrotic syndrome; other less common histologic presentations include focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and minimal change disease. In addition, chemotherapy agents can cause renal toxicity by affecting the small blood vessels, glomeruli, tubules, and interstitium.

Treatment of Post-biopsy Arteriovenous Fistula of a Renal Graft by Selective Embolization.

The development of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) after renal graft biopsy is a rare complication, it is associated in most cases with spontaneous resolution. However, interventional therapies are required in some cases, to prevent graft loss. Selective embolization has been described as an alternative treatment.

Hemolysis in Hemodialysis, Secondary to Severe Vena Cava Stenosis.

Complications in hemodialysis patients are increasingly rare thanks to advances in technology, including more compatible membranes, more flexible lines, safety in water treatments, alarms in the circuit, and standardization in dialysate fluids plus exhaustive chemical and microbiological tests. In addition, it is highly unusual having hemolysis on hemodialysis; however, it is a life-threatening complication, so the cause must be identified and early managed. The etiology can be chemical or mechanical; however, so far, there are no reports in the literature of an association with severe stenosis of the vena cava, as it is described in the case reported here, where a patient presented hemolysis in two hemodialysis sessions, without initially being possible to find the cause; the only identifiable factor was that he had a dysfunctional tunneled jugular catheter, with a history of difficult vascular access.

Multifocal skeletal tuberculosis with mycobacteremia after kidney transplantation: A case report.

Solid organ transplant recipients have a higher risk of active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (TB) compared to the general population. Recognized risk factors are immunosuppressant use, graft dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, and co-infections by other opportunists. Most of the active TB cases reported in solid organ transplant recipients occur in kidney transplant patients, especially if they come from M tuberculosis-endemic areas.

BK virus nephropathy in a heart transplant recipient.

BK virus nephropathy in kidney transplantation is widely recognized as an important cause of graft dysfunction and loss. In the case of transplants of organs other than kidney, BK virus nephropathy in native kidneys has been recognized as a cause of chronic kidney disease, which is related with immunosuppression; however, the diagnosis is usually late because the renal dysfunction is attributed to other causes, such as toxicity by anticalcineurinic drugs, interstitial nephritis due to medications, hemodynamic changes, diabetes, hypertension, etc. We report a case of BK virus nephropathy in a patient who underwent heart transplantation due to peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in a renal transplant recipient case report.

Thrombotic microangiopathies are disorders characterized by nonimmune microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and multi-systemic failure. They are classified as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and typical hemolytic uremic syndrome. The latter is associated with intestinal infections by Shiga toxin-producing bacteria.

Nephrotic syndrome associated with primary atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Primary atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome is a rare disease characterized by non-immune microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal dysfunction; it is related to alterations in the regulation of the alternative pathway of complement due to genetic mutations. The association with nephrotic syndrome is unusual. We present here a pediatric patient diagnosed with primary atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome associated with nephrotic syndrome who responded to eculizumab treatment.

Brain abscess caused by Cladophialophora bantiana after renal allograft loss: A case report.

Cerebral feohifomycosis are severe infections caused by dematiaceous fungi. Cladophialophora bantiana is one of the most commonly isolated species; it has central nervous system tropism and it often manifests as a brain abscess in immunocompetent patients. In immunocompromised patients, it can lead to brain abscesses and disseminated infections.

Time of Cold Ischemia and Delayed Graft Function in a Cohort of Renal Transplant Patients in a Reference Center.

There are many factors involved in the delayed graft function of a renal graft, with prolonged cold ischemia time being one of the most relevant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the time of cold ischemia and the delayed graft function, and acute rejection and graft loss at 1 year of follow-up. A retrospective cohort of 347 renal transplant patients were evaluated during the years 2009-2013.

Successful multiple-exchange peritoneal dialysis in a patient with severe hematological toxicity by methotrexate: case report and literature review.

Methotrexate is an effective medication to control several diseases; however, it can be very toxic, being myelosuppression one of its main adverse effects, which increases in severity and frequency in patients with renal failure. We present the case of a 68-year-old man with chronic, end-stage renal disease associated with ANCA vasculitis, under treatment with peritoneal dialysis, who received the medication at a low dose, indicated by disease activity, which presented as a complication with severe pancytopenia with mucositis that improved with support measures and multiple-exchange peritoneal dialysis. We reviewed 20 cases published to date of pancytopenia associated with methotrexate in patients on dialysis and found high morbidity and mortality, which is why its use in this type of patient is not recommended.

Lipocalina asociada con gelatinasa del neutrófilo como predictor de disfunción del injerto a un año del trasplante renal.

IntroducciÓn: Estudios recientes sugieren que la lipocalina asociada con la gelatinasa del neutrófilo urinaria (NGALu) es superior a la creatinina para la detección temprana de la disfunción del injerto renal, pero son pocos los estudios que evalúan su utilidad como predictor a largo plazo de dicha función.

Objetivo: Explorar si los valores de NGALu en las primeras 48 horas después del trasplante renal predicen la función del injerto a largo plazo.

MÉtodo: Cohorte prospectiva en la que se evaluaron los valores de NGALu a las 2, 12, 24 y 48 horas postrasplante renal.

Successful kidney transplant with eculizumab, thymoglobulin and belatacept therapy in a highly-sensitised patient with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome due to factor H mutation.

Atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome is a disease caused by complement regulation abnormalities that generally progresses to chronic end-stage renal disease with a high rate of recurrence in kidney transplantation and a high risk of graft loss. Anti-complement therapy has improved the prognosis of these patients, achieving disease remission in most cases, increasing the likelihood of a successful kidney transplant and increasing patient and graft survival. Drugs with low risk of induction of thrombotic microangiopathies such as belatacept and mycophenolate have also been used with satisfactory results.

[Severe hypoxemic respiratory failure caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii in a late kidney transplant recipient].

Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii is an uncommon infection in kidney transplant patients that can have an acute and rapid progression to respiratory failure and death. The period of greatest risk occurs in the first six months after the transplant, and it relates to the high doses of immunosuppression drugs required by patients. However, it may occur late, associated with the suspension of prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Successful treatment of thrombotic microangiopathy associated with dengue infection: A case report and literature review.

Dengue infection has been associated with multiple renal complications, including glomerulonephritis, acute tubular necrosis, tubulointerstitial nephritis, and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), this last one being a rare complication of dengue, with only a few reported cases. TMA associated with dengue can be explained by an alteration in the activity of the enzyme ADAMTS13, leading to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura; or it can be secondary to direct or indirect endothelial injury by the virus, which leads to hemolytic uremic syndrome. Here, we present a case of severe TMA, not related to ADAMTS13, which was clearly associated with dengue infection.

Malakoplakia after kidney transplantation: Case report and literature review.

Malakoplakia is a granulomatous disease associated with an infectious etiology, usually involving the urinary tract. It reveals itself as a recurrent urinary tract infection (r-UTI), and in some cases, it is associated with impairment of renal function. Immunosuppression is one of its main associated factors, and it has been increasingly described in patients with solid organ transplantation (SOT), mainly kidney transplantation.

Risk factors for acute kidney injury in a pediatric intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The incidence of acute kidney injury in the pediatric population and its associated risk factors are currently not clear.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the incidence of acute kidney injury in critically ill pediatric patients and to determine its associated risk factors.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of pediatric patients (<14 years old) admitted to a tertiary pediatric intensive care unit.

Treatment of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders after kidney transplant with rituximab and conversion to m-TOR inhibitor.

Background: Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders are serious complications of organ transplantation which treatment is not yet standardized.

Objective: To describe the clinical response, overall and graft survival of patients in our center with this complication after kidney transplantation, which received rituximab as part of their treatment as well as conversion to m-TOR.

Methods: Retrospective study, which included patients, diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders after kidney transplantation from January 2011 to July 2014.

[Three cases of de novo multiple myeloma after kidney transplantation].

Light chain-associated kidney compromise is frequent in patients with monoclonal gammopathies; it affects the glomeruli or the tubules, and its most common cause is multiple myeloma. It may develop after a kidney transplant due to recurrence of a preexisting multiple myeloma or it can be a de novo disease manifesting as graft dysfunction and proteinuria. A kidney biopsy is always necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as an early predictor of delayed graft function.

Introduction: Delayed graft function occurs in about 20 to 50 percent of kidney transplants. 

Objective: To describe the behavior of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGALu) in deceased-donor renal transplant recipients and to compare this indicator with the percentage of creatinine decrease (PdC) for the early detection of delayed graft function. 

Materials And Methods: NGALu levels were evaluated in a prospective cohort in the first, 12th, 24th and 48th hours after kidney transplant, and compared with the daily PdC until day 5.