Cerebral Thromboembolism and Central Retinal Artery Occlusion in Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract

Arterial thrombosis, compared with venous thrombus, is a rare complication of the nephrotic syndrome. We present a patient with active nephrotic syndrome who had marked proteinuria and an elevated fibrinogen level and developed acute cerebral artery embolism and central retinal artery occlusion. The brain magnetic resonance images demonstrated an embolic stroke in the right cerebral hemisphere. We consider that hypercoagulopathy, especially coexistent with a patent foramen ovale, may have contributed to the cerebral artery embolism.

KEYWORDS:

• Nephrotic syndrome
• central retinal artery occlusion
• hypercoagulopathy