Frontiers in Medicine (Oct 2023)

Case report: Acute kidney injury as the initial manifestation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma

  • Sascha T. Bender,
  • Vanja Zeremski,
  • Thorsten Wiech,
  • Peter R. Mertens,
  • Christian Gross

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1279005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder often diagnosed after incidental finding of leukocytosis. Renal involvement is usually clinically silent. Symptomatic renal impairment due to CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) cell infiltration in the kidney tissue is uncommon, and acute kidney injury (AKI) as a presenting feature is rare. In this case report, we describe the case of a patient with AKI caused by CLL/SLL infiltration as a presenting feature. Our report highlights the possibility of kidney injury as the first evident symptom of CLL/SLL. Kidney biopsy is the mainstay in these cases in order to establish a diagnosis. Treatment with zanubrutinib resulted in improved kidney function.

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