Open AccessPneumatosis Intestinalis Associated with Immune-suppressive Agents in a Case of Minimal Change Disease
Author(s) -
Byoung Geun Han,
Jae Myoung Lee,
Jae Won Yang,
Min Soo Kim,
Seung Ok Choi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
yonsei medical journal/yonsei medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.702
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1976-2437
pISSN - 0513-5796
DOI - 10.3349/ymj.2002.43.5.686
Subject(s) - medicine , prednisolone , pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis , pneumatosis intestinalis , gastroenterology , minimal change disease , nephrotic syndrome , mediastinum , peritoneum , immune system , surgery , immunology , glomerulonephritis , kidney , focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
We report treatment of a 38-year-old man with minimal change disease (MCD) who developed pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) during administration of immune-suppressive agents. His immunosuppressive medication had been tapered to 15 mg/day of prednisolone. MCD was steroid-resistant type. Abdominal examination and laboratory studies were not clinically remarkable. Radiologic findings were consistent with PI. Abnormal air accumulation was noted in the bowel, peritoneum, mediastinum and retroperitoneum. Conservative therapy with oxygen and metronidazole improved the PI symptoms. In 1993, a case of PI with nephrotic syndrome following steroid treatment was reported in Japan. However this is only the second case reported in the literature, and the first in English.