Atheroembolic renal disease

Abstract

Atherosclerotic plaques are prone for thromboembolism with clots and atheroembolisation with cholesterol crystals. Atheroembolism occurs when the atherosclerotic plaque is disrupted causing multiple showers of cholesterol crystal embolization resulting in partial or total occlusion of small arteries of multiple organs. Atheroembolic renal disease (AERD) refers to cholesterol crystal embolization of the renal arteries and is often associated with multiorgan involvement. Diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion in the clinical setting with renal failure, skin lesions, and sometimes hypocomplementemia and eosinophiluria. Treatment is mainly supportive and overall prognosis is poor.