Klin Farmakol Farm. 2018;32(1):14-19 | DOI: 10.36290/far.2018.003

Drug-induced nephropathy

Markéta Kolečková, Tomáš Tichý

Ústav klinické a molekulární patologie, Univerzita Palackého a FN Olomouc

The kidneys are a frequent target of both acute and chronic drug-induced injury because of their concentration and eliminationfunction. However, mechanisms of their nephrotoxicity vary in dependence on the drug group. Histological verification,along with a history of pharmacological therapy, is still regarded as a gold standard of diagnostic process. From a pathologicalpoint of view, all the structures of the renal parenchyma may be involved. In the majority of cases the involvement of renaltubules and interstitium is observed, characterized by the image of ischemic and nephrotoxic acute tubular necrosis, acuteor chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis with possible transition to end-stage renal disease. In a smaller number of cases we canidentify the immune-mediated glomerulopathies, direct cell injury glomerulopathies, vascular lesions, osmotic nephrosisassociated with hypertonic solution application or crystalline nephropathy. The aim of our article is to provide an overviewof pathology and pathogenesis of renal impairment in relation to individual drug groups. The proper knowledge of these mechanismstogether with preventive approaches is in charge of patient’s prognosis in terms of renal function recovery.

Keywords: kidney, renal impairment, drug-induced kidney injury, adverse drug reaction, histological features

Published: May 31, 2018  Show citation