What are the Symptoms of NSF?

Some patients have experienced episodes of hypertension (high blood pressure) before the NSF symptoms appear. These patients have never had high blood pressure before and the cause of these episodes is unknown.

The typical course of NSF begins with swelling of the hands and feet (and sometimes the calves and forearms). Symmetrical darkened or reddish patches, bumps, or blisters appear on the skin. They appear most commonly on the calves and forearms, and sometimes on the hands and feet. Some patients have reported yellow bumps on or near the eyes.

This is followed in subsequent days or weeks by severe hardening of the skin in the swollen areas, which sometimes spreads to the thighs, trunk, lower abdomen, and/or buttocks. It almost never affects the head and neck. The skin may feel "woody" or like an orange peel. The skin hardening may be associated with burning, itching, or severe, sharp, constant pain in the affected areas. Loss of skin flexibility, muscle restlessness, and muscle weakness are common. Deep bone pain in the hips and ribs is sometimes reported. In some cases, the thickened skin inhibits the movement of the joints making it hard to bend and straighten the arms, legs, hands, and feet. The patient may develop contractures, which is an abnormal, sometimes permanent, shortening of the muscle or connective tissue. This can lead to serious physical disability, often necessitating the use of a wheelchair.

The skin symptoms may be followed by internal symptoms affecting the lungs, heart, liver, muscles and diaphragm. Thickening and hardening around internal organs can cause potentially fatal complications.

NSF has been linked to exposure to gadolinium dyes. So far, according to study results, NSF patients have experienced the first NSF symptoms between 2 weeks and 3 months after the MRI or MRA procedure. This time range may change as more data becomes available.

In some cases, the disease progresses rapidly, (it may run its entire course in several months), while in other cases, it progresses slowly. Many patients become dependent on a wheelchair within weeks of the first NSF symptom. When NSF has a sudden intense onset and severe rapid progression, it may be more likely to cause fatal complications.

If you or someone you know has suffered from NSF symptoms, you should seek prompt medical attention. If these symptoms developed after having an MRI or MRA using a contrast dye, contact our offices for a free case evaluation by one of our pharmaceutical attorneys.