Vascular Diseases of the Kidney

Abstract

A number of local and systemic disease processes affect the renal vascular tree. Although the underlying mechanisms may differ, vascular diseases of the kidney all characteristically cause varying degrees of vessel obstruction, eventually leading to an impairment of renal blood flow. Acute impairment in renal function occurs in most vascular diseases of the kidney. This chapter discusses the major vascular diseases of the kidney, categorized according to the size of the affected vessel. Large-vessel diseases described are renal artery stenosis from atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dysplasia, Takayasu arteritis, and renal vein thrombosis. Medium-size-vessel diseases described are polyarteritis nodosa and Kawasaki disease. Small-vessel diseases described are those traditionally associated with glomerulopathy, including rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and Henoch-Schönlein purpura; thrombotic microangiopathy, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, preeclampsia, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and malignant hypertension; sickle cell disease; and atheroembolic disease. Tables describe the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for Takayasu arteritis and induction therapy for rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Figures show an overview of vascular disease of the kidney; an arteriogram of renal artery stenosis demonstrating an ostial lesion; light microscopy showing typical crescentic glomerulonephritis; purpuric eruptions in small vessel vasculitides, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, hypersensitivity vasculitis, and antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody–associated disease; light microscopy showing the characteristic onion-skin lesion in scleroderma renal crisis; electron microscopy showing a glomerular capillary with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura; injection microradioangiograms comparing the vasa recta of a normal kidney with that in a patient with sickle cell disease; and a light microscopy that reveals an atheroembolus lodged in a small renal artery and occlusion of the vascular lumen. This chapter contains 151 references.