[A rare cause of nephrotic syndrome in a young woman with flank pain, milky urine and leukocyturia].

Abstract

A 27 year old patient presented with a sudden acute illness showing right flank pain, milky urine, nephrotic range proteinuria, erythrocyturia and leukocyturia in the urinary sediment with a negative leukocyte test stick. The proof of a pronounced hypertriglyceriduria led to the diagnosis of Chyluria. The lymphangiogram confirmed the presence of a retroperitoneal lymphatic dysplasia with evidence of communication with the right renal pelvis on the CT-lymphogram. Chyluria is generally the result of parasitic infection and is extremely rare in Europe. In the presence of symptoms including milky urine, proteinuria and leukocyturia in the urinary sediment and a negative urine leukocyte stick test and absence of infectious signs, chyluria must be suspected. The diagnosis should be substantiated through proof of hypertriglyceriduria and confirmed by lymphangiography.