LOW-DOSE DOPAMINE INDUCES EARLY RECOVERY OF RECOMBINANT INTERLEUKIN-2IMPAIRED RENAL-FUNCTION

Recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) can produce impairment of renal func tion with hypotension, fluid retention, elevated blood urea nitrogen, oliguria and low fractional sodium excretion; these side-effects are a common cause of reduction or interruption of rIL-2 infusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the control and treatment of renal to xicity induced by rIL-2 therapy. Here we show that dopamine, al a low dose of 2 mug/kg/min, completely prevented renal toxicity induced by r IL-2. While continuing rIL-2 therapy, 24-h continuous infusion of low- dose dopamine produced a rapid normalisation of urine output and a sig nificant decrease in serum creatinine levels and body weight (P < 0.01 ), with an early and complete recovery of the rIL-2-impaired renal fun ction: mean recovery time of renal function in patients treated with d opamine was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in nontreated patients (4.8 days vs. 10 days, respectively).