INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS

Interstitial nephritis is an inflammatory process within the renal int erstitium, and was one of the first observations made in the descripti on of renal histopathology. Many different conditions are associated w ith an interstitial nephritis, and as a clinical diagnosis the term ha s Little use unless causation is defined. However, there has been rece nt interest in the possibility of a common mechanism causing irreversi ble renal damage and eventually renal failure in many different types of interstitial nephritis. Such damage could take place due to blood-b orne inflammatory mediators, or could be due to renal tubular inflamma tion related to abnormal components of the glomerular filtrate in rena l failure, such as proteins or lipids. If such research were to result in effective therapy for interstitial nephritis, the progression of m any forms of renal disease to end stage renal failure could be amelior ated.