Objective:to analyze and present a clinical case of late diagnosis of Takayasu’s arteritis in a young female patient with long-term arterial hypertension.Materials and methods.The female patient G., born in 1989, had noted elevated arterial pressure (AP) of 150/90 mm Hg since she was 14. At 21 the following diagnosis was stated: Fibro-muscular dysplasia, stenosis of the left renal artery. Stenosis of the celiac trunk. Aneurisms of the branches of the superior mesenteric artery; prosthesis of the left renal artery was performed. Since the beginning of 2016, the patient has noted elevated AP of 200/110 mm Hg despite continuing hypotensive therapy. Diagnosis of Nonspecific aortoarteritis was proposed in May of 2017. Methylprednisolone therapy was administered: 250 mg No. 2 intravenously, Prednisolone: 25 mg a day orally. Due to signs of decreased blood flow to the left kidney, in August of 2017 extracorporeal repeat prosthesis of the left renal artery, bypass of the right middle renal artery with reversed autovein were performed.Results.During examination in October of 2017, the patient complained of weakness, frequent elevated AP of 200/110 mm Hg. In blood test: hemoglobin 106 g/l, erythrocyte sedimentation rate 38 mm/h, C-reactive protein 25 mg/l. A heterozygous mutation in the methylenetetrahydropholate reductase, a heterozygous mutation in the factor V gene (G1691A) were identified. Homocysteine level was normal, infection and oncological pathology were excluded. The following diagnosis was made: Takayasu»s arteritis type IV affecting the aorta and its branches, moderate activity. Occlusion of the celiac trunk. Aneurisms of the branches of the superior mesenteric artery. Critical stenosis of the left renal artery. Thrombosis of the aorto-renal prosthesis. Hypoplasia of the left kidney. Prednisolone 50 mg a day, metoprolol 50 mg a day, valsartan 160 mg a day, acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg a day were prescribed.Conclusion.The presented clinical observation shows the importance of comprehensive examination of young patients complaining of elevated AP for many years. Due to untimely diagnosis and absence of pathogenetic therapy, the patient suffered negative consequences of surgical treatment.
Patients with systemic scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis (SS), have an increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms. Cancer can be diagnosed immediately prior to SS symptoms, at the stage of diagnosis and years after SS diagnosis. The first two cases may indicate scleroderma-like paraneoplastic syndrome. In this case, the main mechanism of paraneoplastic syndrome development is associated with immune system activation by antigens, expressed by tumor cells, which leads to the development of antibodies that cross-react with body tissues, causing damage and secondary regeneration. Thus, cancer induces autoimmunity – mutation-specific T-cell immune response, and pathogenetic mechanisms can be the same for fibrogenesis and oncogenesis.SS clinical and laboratory characteristics that indicate paraneoplastic etiology include minimum time difference between diagnosing scleroderma and cancer, as well as oncopathology in a patient’s or family cancer history, late disease onset (after 50 years), SS symptoms in a man, sudden onset and rapid progression of clinical symptoms, expressed or atypical SS symptoms (malaise, fever, significant weight loss), asymmetric or absent Raynaud syndrome, antibodies against RNA polymerase III, absence of anticentromeric antibodies and anti-Scl70, deviations in laboratory tests indicating possible oncopathology (anemia, hypercalcemia, hypergammaglobulinemia), no response to SS treatment, disappearance of SS symptoms after anticancer treatment and their appearance when cancer reactivation. On the other hand, patients with scleroderma have an increased risk of all types of cancer, with men at higher risk than women. Continuous autoimmune stimulation, B-cell activation, chronic inflammatory process and fibrosis in SS patients can lead to malignant transformation in certain organ systems, especially in lungs.The most important risk factor for lung cancer in SS patients is interstitial lung disease, requiring special attention from a physician. In addition to lung cancer, SS patients more likely than the general population suffer from malignant hematologic diseases, esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and bladder cancer. Scleroderma-like skin changes are also possible when cytotoxic drugs are used to treat cancer (docetaxel, paclitaxel, bleomycin, etc.), as well as during radiation therapy.
The study objective is to demonstrate the difficulty of differential diagnosis in pulmonary-renal syndrome using a clinical case as an example.Materials and methods. Male patient A., 68 years old, retired, was hospitalized at the N.I. Pirogov City Clinical Hospital № 1 in December of 2017 with complaints of inefficient cough, fever of 39 °С, weakness, apnea, weight loss up 10 kg in 3 months. Examination revealed skin and mucosa paleness, calf edema, heart beat of 102 bpm, normal rhythm, arterial pressure 130/80 mm Hg, respiratory rate 22 breaths per min. Auscultation revealed harsh respiration in the lungs, weakened in the lower parts, fine moist rales. Anemia (hemoglobin – 53 g/l, erythrocytes – 1.85 × 1012/l, serum iron – 3.1 µmol/l), elevated urea up to 41.4 mmol/l, creatinine up to 843.1 µmol/l (glomerular filtration rate – 6 ml/min/1.73 m2), leukocytes up to 12.5 × 109/l, С-reactive protein up to 124.96 mg/l were diagnosed. Clinical urine analysis showed proteinuria 0.47 g/l. Computed tomography of the chest revealed pronounced infiltrative changes in tissues of both lungs, more on the right, alveolitis, bronchiolitis in the middle lobe on the right, 5th segment on the left. Lymphadenopathy mediastinal was diagnosed. After examination (multiple bacteriological blood, sputum tests, interferon-gamma release assay, echocardiography, bronchoalveolar lavage, sterna puncture, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, etc.), oncological pathology, tuberculosis of the lungs, sepsis, infections endocarditis and other infectious pathologies were excluded. Antibacterial courses prescribed earlier were ineffective. Immunological blood test revealed high titers (1:1280) of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) with perinuclear fluorescence type (myeloperoxidase specificity), negative antibodies to glomerular basal membrane which allowed to diagnose ANCA-associated vasculitis.Results. Considering the data of clinical, lab, and instrumental examination, the patient was diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis, ANCA-associated, affecting the lungs (disseminated interstitial lung disease with bronchiolitis) and kidneys (rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis), intrathoracic lymphadenopathy, activity grade III (BVAS index – 23 points). Grade II respiratory failure. Chronic kidney disease 5D (glomerular filtration rate – 6 ml/min/1.73 m2). Grade II arterial hypertension, risk 4. Grade II pulmonary hypertension. Chronic heart failure 2А, functional class IV. Mixed anemia (iron-deficient, chronic disease), severe. Disseminated polyposis of the colon (hyperplastic type). At the hospital, antibacterial drugs (cefoperazone sulbactam), antifungal (fluticasone) were administered, anemia was corrected (iron-containing drugs and erythropoietin, hemotransfusion), hemodialysis. Cyclophosphane 400 mg was administered intravenously, a week later – 800 mg. Methylprednisolone (60 mg/day), co-trimoxazole (480 mg 3 times a week) were prescribed. A pronounced improvement was observed due to the therapy: body temperature normalization, decreased apnea, cough, weakness, increased appetite. The patient was discharged with recommendation for continuation of cytostatic therapy per the regimen and prescription for programmed hemodialysis at the place of residence.Conclusion.This clinical case demonstrates a necessity of considering ANCA-associated vasculitis during differential diagnosis of pulmonary-renal syndrome. Timely diagnosis and active cytostatic therapy play a principal role in treatment and promote deceleration of disease progression and improve prognosis.
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