EVALUATION OF CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL PROGNOSTIC MARKERS IN DRUG-INDUCED ACUTE INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS

We analyzed the case records of 19 patients diagnosed to have drug-ind uced acute interstitial nephritis to assess the clinical profile and r ole of steroids in renal recovery, and to correlate histological featu res to outcome. Patients with underlying glomerular diseases, malignan cy, obstructive nephropathy, or systemic infections were excluded. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone accounted for 6 cases (group A ), whereas antibiotics were the major offender in the remaining patien ts (group B). in 13/19 (69%) cases, renal failure was severe enough to require dialytic support. Overall 14/19 (74%) of the patients recover ed normal renal function within 6 weeks of withdrawal of the offending drugs. Neither the extent of renal recovery nor the time required for it was altered by oral steroids. Tubular atrophy and interstitial fib rosis adversely affected renal recovery Oliguria, tubular necrosis, in terstitial edema, and the density/distribution of interstitial infiltr ate did not have any effect on the rate/extent of renal recovery.