Renal Lymphangiectasia: A Curious Cause of Pleural Effusion

Authors

1 Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

2 Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

3 Tracheal Diseases Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

4 Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,

5 Telemedicine Research Center, NRITLD, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Renal lymphangiectasia is a disorder of the lymphatic system of the kidneys, which can be congenital or acquired. Although the exact etiology remains unknown, an obstructive process resulting from several causes, including infection, inflammation or malignant infiltration, has been suggested to be responsible for the acquired form. This disorder may be associated with several pathologies. We report a case of a 24-year-old man with renal lymphangiectasia presenting with polycythemia, ascites and pleural effusion associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in an intravenous (IV) drug user. Our case is the first in the literature that shows an association between HCV infection and IV drug use.

Keywords