Intestinal mucosal lesion associated with crystals: Case series and literature review

Abstract

Crystal-associated mucosal injury is a crucial clinical picture in a subset of uremic patients who are given cation exchange resins such as sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) and sevelamer to treat hyperkalemia and hyperphosphatemia, respectively. Colonic necrosis in these patients is rare but may be associated with fatal gastrointestinal injury, with a mortality rate of 33%. Bile acid sequestrants are another type of resin that is theoretically biologically inert. Two cases of colitis associated with crystals are presented. The first patient had a history of multiple surgeries and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and was treated with cholestyramine. A sigmoidectomy was performed in which several crystal foci were found. The second patient had a history of chronic kidney disease requiring Kayexalate and attended the emergency department with severe lower GI bleeding. A partial colectomy was performed in which morphological changes related to the deposit of crystals were detected. Resins can cause a broad spectrum of malignant mucosal lesions, so early diagnosis is essential to reduce mortality and improve prognosis. However, it is uncertain whether the consumption of cholestyramine and kayexalate, as well as the deposition of their crystals in the GI tract, are the causative factor of mucosal damage. Therefore, resins should help establish the correct diagnosis and prompt medical treatment to avoid harmful results.