Gemcitabine-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome mimicking scleroderma renal crisis presenting with Raynaud's phenomenon, positive antinuclear antibodies and hypertensive emergency

Intern Med. 2014;53(5):445-8. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.53.1160.

Abstract

A 58-year-old woman who received gemcitabine for advanced gallbladder cancer developed an impaired renal function, thrombocytopenia, Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ischemic changes, a high antinuclear antibody titer and hypertensive emergency that mimicked a scleroderma renal crisis. A kidney biopsy specimen demonstrated onion-skin lesions in the arterioles and small arteries along with ischemic changes in the glomeruli, compatible with a diagnosis of hypertensive emergency (malignant hypertension). The intravenous administration of a calcium channel blocker, the oral administration of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker and the transfusion of fresh frozen plasma were effective for treating the thrombocytopenia and progressive kidney dysfunction. Gemcitabine induces hemolytic uremic syndrome with accelerated hypertension and Raynaud's phenomenon, mimicking scleroderma renal crisis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / blood
  • Blood Pressure / physiology
  • Deoxycytidine / adverse effects
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Emergencies
  • Female
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Gemcitabine
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / blood
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / chemically induced*
  • Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Malignant / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Malignant / etiology*
  • Hypertension, Malignant / physiopathology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Kidney Glomerulus / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Raynaud Disease / blood
  • Raynaud Disease / diagnosis*
  • Ribonucleotide Reductases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Ribonucleotide Reductases
  • Gemcitabine