Guide To Treating Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a progressive disease that affects the skin and vital organs. Nearly all cases of this condition develop in patients who have severe chronic renal insufficiency. For many of these patients, exposure to gadolinium (a contrast agent sometimes injected for MRI scans) triggers the disease, and symptoms can develop within days or months of exposure. Unfortunately, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis advances rapidly, and it can be fatal. Initial symptoms typically include swelling and hardening of the skin on the arms and legs. Patients frequently experience a thickening of the skin that impedes movement, and the areas involved may feel itchy and painful. If nephrogenic systemic fibrosis involves muscles and organs, symptoms may include blood clots, muscle weakness, bone pain, and yellowing of the whites of the eyes (the sclera). The disease can impair the function of the heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. To diagnose this condition, doctors perform a physical exam, and both skin and muscle biopsies are taken.