A long way to diagnosis: clinical case of acute renal injury in a patient with Takayasu arteritis

Abstract

The purpose of the study. Demonstration of differential diagnostic search for the causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in a young man.Materials and methods. Clinical observation of a patient with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).Results. The presented clinical observation describes the late diagnosis of TAK at the stage of severe ischemic lesions of the internal organs (myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, occlusion of the lumen of the arteries of the left lower limb with the development of gangrene, occlusion of the renal arteries with the outcome of left kidney shrive­ling). Most likely, thrombotic occlusion of the right renal arteries caused the development of severe AKI. During the examination, the diagnosis of TAK was made, other possible nosologies were excluded. Taking into account the late diagnosis of the disease, the minimal severity of the inflammatory process, the high risk of complications, therapy with glucocorticoids in a small dose, anticoagulants was carried out. Against this background, recovery of intrarenal blood flow and diuresis was noted, but high rates of azotemia remained, requiring continued dialysis. After 3 months, the loss of renal functions was detected.Conclusions. The development of vascular lesions of internal organs with signs of critical ischemia (heart, brain, vessels of the lower extremities, kidneys, etc.) in young patients, dictates the need for a differential diagnostic search for the cause, first of all, the exclusion of the systemic process (systemic vasculitis, antiphospholipid syndrome, diffuse con­nective tissue diseases). It is important to accumulate experience in managing patients with TAK in order to timely diagnose, start therapy early and prevent the development of irreversible lesions of internal organs.