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Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: an unusual cause of low back pain

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Abstract

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare inflammatory disease which is characterized by the development of a fibrous process that surrounds the major vessels and organs located within the retroperitoneum. About two thirds of all cases of RPF are idiopathic and are thought to be immunological in origin. Diagnosis of RPF should be considered in patients with unexplained abdominal and low back pain and retroperitoneal lesions. We present a case report of a 59-year-old white male with idiopathic RPF with history of low back pain and weight loss as only symptoms and treated by tamoxifen, corticosteroids, and insertion of JJ endoureteric catheters due to the obstruction of the upper urinary tract.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Division, Second Department of Internal Medicine, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Masaryk University School of Medicine, Pekařská 53, 65691, Brno, Czech Republic

    Petr Nemec

  2. Department of Radiology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty kopec 7, 65653, Brno, Czech Republic

    Sylva Rybnickova

  3. Department of Pathology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty kopec 7, 65653, Brno, Czech Republic

    Pavel Fabian

  4. Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematooncology, University Hospital Brno, Masaryk University School of Medicine, Jihlavska 20, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic

    Zdenek Fojtik

  5. Second Department of Internal Medicine, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Masaryk University School of Medicine, Pekarská 53, 65691, Brno, Czech Republic

    Miroslav Soucek

Authors
  1. Petr Nemec
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  2. Sylva Rybnickova
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  3. Pavel Fabian
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  4. Zdenek Fojtik
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  5. Miroslav Soucek
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Correspondence to Petr Nemec.

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Nemec, P., Rybnickova, S., Fabian, P. et al. Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis: an unusual cause of low back pain. Clin Rheumatol 27, 381–384 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0736-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-007-0736-5

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