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Ethylmalonic encephalopathy associated with crescentic glomerulonephritis

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Abstract

Ethylmalonic encephalopathy (EE) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ETHE1 gene and characterized by chronic diarrhea, encephalopathy, relapsing petechiae and acrocyanosis. Nephrotic syndrome has been described in an infant with EE but the renal histology findings were not described in previous reports. We report a Palestinian girl with EE who presented with chronic diarrhea, encephalopathy, petechial rash and acrocyanosis. Subsequently, she developed progressive deterioration of renal function caused by rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis resulting in death within few days. This is, to our knowledge, the first reported occurrence of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in a child with ethylmalonic encephalopathy. Its presence is a serious complication associated with poor prognosis and may be explained by the diffuse vascular damage

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Abbreviations

EE:

Ethylmalonic encephalopathy

EMA:

Ethylmalonic acid

H2S:

Hydrogen sulfide

CsGN:

Crescentic glomerulonephritis

NAC:

N-acetylcysteine

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Correspondence to Imad Dweikat.

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Dweikat, I., Naser, E., Damsah, N. et al. Ethylmalonic encephalopathy associated with crescentic glomerulonephritis. Metab Brain Dis 27, 613–616 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-012-9313-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-012-9313-y

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