Acute kidney injury secondary to thrombotic microangiopathy associated with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Renal involvement in idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is uncommon. The mechanism of kidney damage can be explained as occurring via two distinct pathways: (1) thromboembolic ischemic changes secondary to endocardial disruption mediated by eosinophilic cytotoxicity to the myocardium and (2) direct eosinophilic cytotoxic effect to the kidney. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 63-year-old Caucasian man who presented to our hospital with 2 weeks of progressively generalized weakness. He was diagnosed with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome with multiorgan involvement and acute kidney injury with biopsy-proven thrombotic microangiopathy. Full remission was achieved after 8 weeks of corticosteroid therapy. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to investigate if age and absence of frank thrombocytopenia can serve as a prognostic feature of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome, as seen in this case.