Renal abnormalities in sickle cell disease.

Renal abnormalities in sickle cell disease. Sickle cell nephropathy is indicated by sickled erythrocytes, with the consequent effects of decreased medullary blood flow, ischemia, microinfarct and papillary necrosis. Impaired urinary concentrating ability, renal acidification, hematuria, and potassium secretion are also found. There may be a causal relationship between an increase in nitric oxide synthesis and experimental sickle cell nephropathy, and some studies have indicated that the progression of sickle cell nephropathy is hemodynamically mediated. Although there are many studies showing that proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, chronic progressive renal failure, and acute renal failure syndromes are the outcome of this disease, the pathogenic mechanism(s) and potential therapies remain to be elucidated. Survival of patients with sickle cell nephropathy who progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is equal to non-diabetic ESRD patients, and graft survival rates are also similar for those who undergo renal transplantation. This article presents a historical review of the glomerular and tubular disorders associated with sickle cell nephropathy, and reviews therapeutic indications to slow its progression. Further research is needed.