Abstract
Background and Aims
Approximately, 20%-70% of patients with cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE) have eosinophilia. However, it remains unknown how eosinophilia influences on renal prognosis in patients with CCE. In this study, we investigated an association between eosinophil count (Eo) and renal prognosis in CCE patients on steroid therapy.
Method
The present study is a single-center retrospective cohort study in patients with pathological proven CCE and Chronic kidney disease from April 2007 to May 2018. This study included the patients who are not treated with maintenance dialysis nor steroid, and moreover followed until November 2019. We analyzed the validity of eosinophil counts using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In the statistical analysis, renal survival was calculated with the Kaplan– Meier method, and comparisons between higher and low Eo groups were made with the log-rank test.
Results
Thirty-two patients with pathological diagnosed CCE were enrolled and followed-up for 11.0 (4.7-43.6) months. There were significant differences in the white blood cell (p=0.03), hemoglobin (p=0.007), serum creatinine levels (p=0.03), phosphate (p=0.045), Calcium×Phosphate (p=0.03), and Eo (p=0.016) between the renal survival and renal death groups. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis with Youden index, Eo of 810/µL showed the sensitivity and specificity 71% and 88% for detecting renal death, respectively (area under the carve; 0.789). Comparing the outcomes in patients having Eo ≥ and <810/µL by using the log-rank test, there are significantly higher renal death rate in CCE patients with Eo ≥810/µL (p=0.004).
Conclusion
Higher eosinophilia was a prognostic risk factor for renal death in the patients with CCE.