Anjali Acharya

Hypertension in Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Update

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancies remain a central public health concern throughout the world, and are a major cause of maternal mortality in the developing world. Although treatment options have not significantly changed in recent years, insight on the pathogenesis of preeclampsia/eclampsia has been remarkable. With improved animal models of preeclampsia and large-scale human trials, we have embarked upon a new era where angiogenic biomarkers based on mechanism of disease can be designed to assist in early diagnosis and treatment. There is also a growing recognition of how elusive the diagnosis of eclampsia can be, especially in the postpartum period. Proper treatment of these patients depends heavily on the correct diagnosis, especially by the emergency physician. Finally, large epidemiologic studies have revealed that preeclampsia, once thought to be a self-limited entity, now appears to portend real damage to the cardiovascular and other organ systems in the long term. This review will present the latest update on our understanding of the various hypertensive disorders of pregnancies and their treatment options.

Management of Acute Kidney Injury in Pregnancy for the Obstetrician

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex disorder that occurs in several clinical settings. During pregnancy, there are additional unique conditions that contribute to AKI. The clinical manifestations of AKI during pregnancy range from a minimal elevation in serum creatinine to renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy, similar to AKI in the general population. Recent epidemiologic studies in the general population show an increase in mortality associated with AKI, particularly when dialysis is required. The incidence of AKI in pregnancy remains a cause of significant morbidity and mortality.

Does Timing of Dialysis in Patients with ESRD and Acute Myocardial Infarcts Affect Morbidity or Mortality

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Patients with ESRD have an increased incidence of coronary events with a relatively higher risk for mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated whether it is safer to delay dialysis in AMI or if delay poses separate risks. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We conducted a retrospective review of 131 long-term hemodialysis patients who had AMI and were admitted between 1997 and 2005 at three New York City municipal hospitals. Patients were separated into three groups on the basis of time between cardiac symptoms and first dialysis (<24 h, 24 to 48 h, and >48 h). RESULTS A total of 17 (13%) patients died, 10 (59%) of whom had either hypotension or an arrhythmia during their first cardiac care unit dialysis. Although these groups were comparable in acuity and cardiac status, there were no findings of increased morbidity (26, 36, and 20%, respectively) or mortality (11, 18, and 13%, respectively), despite differences in the timing of each groups dialysis. We found that previous cardiac disease, predialysis K+, DeltaK+ after dialysis, and APACHE scores were significantly higher in patients with peridialysis morbidity. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that there is no increased morbidity with early dialysis in AMI, but rather close attention needs to be paid to the rate of decrease in serum potassium in patients with ESRD and their level of acuity when undergoing dialysis.

Microscopic Polyangiitis following Silicone Exposure from Breast Implantation

We describe a case of a patient who developed microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in the setting of exposure to silicone after breast implantation. A 57-year-old Hispanic woman was admitted to our hospital with complaints of fever, cough, and hemoptysis. She had undergone silicone breast implantation two years prior to presentation. She was diagnosed as having microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) based on acute progressive renal failure, hematuria, pulmonary hemorrhage, and positivity for myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). A renal biopsy performed showed focal segmental necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. The patient received high dose steroids, cyclophosphamide, and plasmapheresis with remarkable clinical response. This case report raises the possibility of the development of MPA after silicone exposure from breast implantation.

Acute Kidney Injury, Recurrent Seizures, and Thrombocytopenia in a Young Patient with Lupus Nephritis: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Introduction. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a constellation of clinical and radiologic findings. Fluctuations in blood pressure, seizures, and reversible brain MRI findings mainly in posterior cerebral white matter are the main manifestations. PRES has been associated with multiple conditions such as autoimmune disorders, pregnancy, organ transplant, and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Case Presentation. A 22-year-old woman with history of Systemic Lupus Erythematous complicated with chronic kidney disease secondary to lupus nephritis class IV presented with recurrent seizures and uncontrolled hypertension. She was found to have acute kidney injury and thrombocytopenia. Repeat kidney biopsy showed diffuse endocapillary and extracapillary proliferative and membranous lupus nephritis (ISN-RPS class IV-G+V) and endothelial swelling secondary to severe hypertension but no evidence of TMA. Brain MRI showed reversible left frontal and parietal lesions that resolved after controlling the blood pressure, making PRES the diagnosis. Conclusion. PRES is an important entity that must be recognized and treated early due to the potential reversibility in the early stages. Physicians must have high suspicion for these unusual presentations. We present a case where performing kidney biopsy clinched the diagnosis in our patient with multiple confounding factors.