We describe here two cases of renal artery stenosis (RAS) caused by atherosclerosis. Both patients were treated by percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) and stent placement, leading to the improvement of renal function as well as hypertension. The two patients were a 75-year-old male (case 1) and a 56-year-old male(case 2), who both showed mild proteinuria, renal dysfunction, and refractory hypertension. Case 1 showed a unilateral ostial stenosis in the left main renal artery. On the other hand, case 2 showed an ostial stenosis in the left renal artery and a widespread narrowing in the right renal artery. After evaluation of the lesions by renal Doppler sonography, renogram, magnetic resonance signal intensity, and magnetic resonance angiography(MRA), each stenosis was treated by balloon angioplasty and intravascular stent placement without any major complications. Thereafter, in addition to hypertension, renal function also ameliorated significantly, and has remained stable for more than 12 months. Noninvasive screening tests and appropriate therapy for renovascular lesion should be considered in the case of elderly patients with refractory hypertension and progressive renal dysfunction, since ischemic nephropathy is increasing as a common cause of end stage renal disease and is showing favorable outcomes of revascularization.

抄録全体を表示

A microemulsion formulation of cyclosporin (Neoral ^(R) ) has been developed to overcome the problems of poor and variable absorption of cyclosporin. Neoral ^(R) is a potent immunosuppressive agent that is highly bound in the plasma. It has been proposed that low density lipoprotein (LDL) delivers cyclosporin (CsA) to T-lymphocytes via the LDL receptor pathway, where it produces its therapeutic effects. Herein, we report a case of minimal change nephrotic syndrome with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated by Neoral R and fluvastatin. A 65-year-old male with a 10-year history of type 2 diabetes mellitus suddenly developed nephrotic syndrome. The potential causative drugs, such as NSAIDs and antibiotics, had not been administered. The laboratory findings were as follows : proteinuria 23 g/day, serum albumin 1.9 g/dl, total cholesterol 629 mg/dl, LDL-Cho 1, 930 mg/dl. Renal biopsy was normal on light microscopy, and immunofluorescence demonstrated no staining. Due to the risk of deterioration of diabetes by administering prednisolone, he was given Neoral ^(R) at 2.0 mg/kg/day. He was also given fluvastatin (40 mg/day) for hyperlipidemia after the renal biopsy. At four weeks after the start of Neoral ^(R) and fluvastatin, his nephrosis continued, but his LDL-Cho and total cholesterol decreased. At six weeks after treatment, proteinuria gradually reduced. At eight weeks after treatment, the proteinuria had disappeared. Nephrotic syndrome is often associated with abnormal lipid metabolism, and many patients with nephrotic syndrome show high levels of LDL-Cho. It has been reported recently that LDL apheresis is effective against nephrotic syndrome. However, in the present case, it can be speculated that the improvement of hyperlipidemia by fluvastatin probably augmented the effect of Neoral ^(R), presumably through the increased cellular uptake of Neoral ^(R). This suggests that fluvastatin may be considered as the treatment of choice for the disturbed lipoprotein profile in patients with nephrotic syndrome.

抄録全体を表示