[Cutaneous histopathological changes in uremic patients. Preliminary report]

The purpose of this work is to investigate the histopathological cutaneous lesions found in uraemic patients. In particular the microangiopathy and its possible regression in kidney transplant recipients with normal renal function was studied. The study sample included 55 patients - 32 females and 23 males - from 18 to 59 years old. These patients were divided into two groups: group A was composed of 34 uraemic patients; group B was composed of 21 kidney transplant recipients, 12 treated with azathioprine and steroids, 9 treated with cyclosporine A and steroids. In this study hyperkeratosis appeared in 79% of the uraemic patients, but only in 38% of kidney transplant recipients. Atrophy of the squamous cell layer and of the eccrine glands was also more common in the first group than the second. So hyperkeratosis, as well as atrophy of the squamous cell layer and of the eccrine glands can be considered the histological markers of uraemia. There is also a remarkable microangiopathy in the blood-vessels of the dermis in both groups (85-70%). Other authors have described an improvement in the microangiopathy after kidney transplant. In this study the microangiopathy did not disappear even after a kidney transplant. This does not seem to depend on a chronic renal insufficiency, but it could be induced or stirred up by uraemia and side factors.