Cholesterol embolization syndrome: A report of two cases

Abstract

Cholesterol embolization syndrome (CES) is a multisystemic disease with immunological features, and a rare but an important cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) following invasive angiography. It frequently occurs in the elderly male population with extensive atherosclerosis. CES should be considered in the differential diagnosis of AKI following angiography, as prognosis and treatment are completely different from contrast-induced nephropathy. Two cases of CES that developed after invasive angiography are described in the present report. In the first case, renal biopsy was performed, and CES was diagnosed by presence of characteristic renal lesions. The second patient had blue toe syndrome and persistent renal dysfunction.