scholarly journals Renal Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis: An Update

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 532-548
Author(s):  
Magdalena Chrabaszcz ◽  
Jolanta Małyszko ◽  
Mariusz Sikora ◽  
Rosanna Alda-Malicka ◽  
Anna Stochmal ◽  
...  

Background: Systemic sclerosis is an immune-mediated rheumatic disease characterized by vascular abnormalities, tissue fibrosis and autoimmune phenomena. Summary: Renal disease occurring in patients with systemic sclerosis may have a variable clinicopathological picture. The most specific renal condition associated with systemic sclerosis is scleroderma renal crisis, characterized by acute onset of renal failure and severe hypertension. Although the management of scleroderma renal crisis was revolutionized by the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, there is still a significant proportion of patients with poor outcomes. Therefore, research on establishing disease markers (clinical, ultrasonographical and serological) and clear diagnostic criteria, which could limit the risk of developing scleroderma renal crisis and facilitate diagnosis of this complication, is ongoing. Other forms of renal involvement in systemic sclerosis include vasculitis, an isolated reduced glomerular filtration rate in systemic sclerosis, antiphospholipid-associated nephropathy, high intrarenal arterial stiffness and proteinuria. Key Messages: Scleroderma renal crisis is the most specific and life-threatening renal presentation of systemic sclerosis, albeit with declining prevalence. In patients with scleroderma renal crisis, it is mandatory to control blood pressure early with increasing doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, along with other antihypertensive drugs if necessary. There is a strong association between renal involvement and patients’ outcomes in systemic sclerosis; consequently, it becomes mandatory to find markers that may be used to identify patients with an especially high risk of scleroderma renal crisis.

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cosimo Bruni ◽  
Giovanna Cuomo ◽  
Francesca W. Rossi ◽  
Emanuela Praino ◽  
Silvia Bellando-Randone

Among all possible systemic sclerosis internal organ complications, kidney involvement is frequently neglected or underestimated, except for the life-threatening scleroderma renal crisis. Fortunately, this severe clinical presentation is nowadays better controlled with available treatments, in particular angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and this has led to a reduction in its short- and longer-term mortality. Pathogenetic determinants are not well understood and many different other kidney involvements are possible in systemic sclerosis, including proteinuria, albuminuria, reduction of renal filtration, autoantibodies-related glomerulonephritis, and drug-related side effects. Different serological and radiological methods of evaluations are nowadays available, some representing promising diagnostic tool and prognostic outcome measure. Except for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in scleroderma renal crisis, no other treatment is currently recommended for treatment of kidney involvement in systemic sclerosis. For this reason, further studies are necessary to investigate its prognostic impact, in particular in combination with other systemic sclerosis–related internal organ manifestations. This review summarizes current available literature on kidney involvement in systemic sclerosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Gülşah Boz ◽  
Samet Karahan ◽  
Nurdan Yüksek

Background: Systemic sclerosis is a connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and organs, marked changes in microvascular structure, cellular and humoral immune disorders. Renal involvement is more frequent and mainly characterized by moderate proteinuria, elevated serum creatinine levels, and hypertension. The most common kidney involvement in SSc is scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) that is fatal without prompt intervention.Case report: A 52-year-old Caucasian male with known diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis was hospitalized with communityacquired pneumonia. On the fifth day after appropriate antibiotic therapy and 60 mg/day methylprednisolone, decreased urine output, arterial hypertension, decreased renal function and pulmonary edema developed. The patient was diagnosed with a scleroderma renal crisis. Emergency hemodialysis was applied to the patient, and captopril 6 × 25 mg/day and nifedipine 2*60 mg/day treatment were given. He received a routine hemodialysis program for about three months. The hemodialysis program was terminated when the patient’s urine quality and quantity increased.Conclusions: SRC, characterized by malignant hypertension, azotemia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and kidney failure, is one of the most important complications of systemic sclerosis with a poor prognosis without prompt intervention. Steroid use is one of the important risk factors that precipitate SRC development. With angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, survival increased after SRC, the need for dialysis decreased, and usually allowed the discontinuation of dialysis treatment within about 6-18 months. Suspicion of SRC in the presence of the above-mentioned findings in patients with a diagnosis or suspected systemic sclerosis can be considered the most important treatment step.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 517-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashmee U Shah ◽  
Liviu Klein ◽  
Donald M Lloyd-Jones

Although women account for a significant proportion of the growing heart failure epidemic, they have been poorly represented in clinical trials. As emerging epidemiologic data reveal a growing prevalence and burden of disease among women, it is increasingly important that treating physicians and researchers recognize sex-based differences. Despite the overall incidence of heart failure being lower in women compared with men, the magnitude of improvement in survival over the last several decades has been less apparent in women. Women with heart failure are more likely to be older, have preserved systolic function and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. While clinical trials have demonstrated improved outcomes among heart failure patients, they have predominantly included men, yielding results that are sometimes inadequately powered to detect a benefit for women. Without adequate representation of women in clinical trials, one cannot assume that the same level of therapeutic evidence also applies to women. Nonetheless, it appears that β-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors provide the same survival benefits in women with systolic dysfunction as in men. In addition, some studies suggest that angiotensin-receptor blockers may lead to a better survival in women when compared with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Focused research is needed to understand and guide the management of women with heart failure.


1996 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 49P-50P ◽  
Author(s):  
D A Collins ◽  
S Patel ◽  
J B Eastwood ◽  
B E Bourke

Severe hypertension and rapidly progressive acute renal failure is a well recognized complication of scleroderma, often referred to as the renal crisis, and widely thought to cause irreversible deterioration in renal function. With the advent of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) the outlook for patients with this condition has dramatically improved. We report here one such patient.


2020 ◽  
pp. 239719832092042
Author(s):  
Hyein Kim ◽  
Frédéric Lefebvre ◽  
Sabrina Hoa ◽  
Marie Hudson

Objectives: The objective of this study was to systematically review the mortality and morbidity associated with scleroderma renal crisis and to determine temporal trends. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from database inception to 10 February 2020. Bibliographies of selected articles were hand-searched for additional references. Data were extracted using a standardized extraction form. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results were analysed qualitatively. Results: Twenty studies with 14,059 systemic sclerosis subjects, of which 854 had scleroderma renal crisis and 4095 had systemic sclerosis–associated end-stage renal disease, met inclusion criteria. Study quality was generally moderate. Cumulative mortality in the post-angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor era was approximately 20% at 6 months, 30%–36% at 1 year, 19%–40% at 3 years and almost 50% at 10 years from scleroderma renal crisis onset. Although the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the early 1970s resulted in a 50% improvement in scleroderma renal crisis mortality, there was no further improvement thereafter. Scleroderma renal crisis mortality rates were proportionally higher than mortality rates associated with other systemic sclerosis organ involvement. The rate of permanent dialysis after scleroderma renal crisis in the post-angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor era ranged from 19%–40%. Three to 17% of systemic sclerosis patients underwent renal transplant. Survival was better in patients post-renal transplant (54%–91%) compared to those on dialysis (31%–56%). Graft survival improved over time and appeared similar to that of patients with other types of end-stage renal disease. Conclusion: While there has been considerable improvement in scleroderma renal crisis–related outcomes since the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, morbidity and mortality remain high for affected patients without convincing evidence of further improvement in the post-angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor era. Novel treatments are required to improve outcomes of scleroderma renal crisis.


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