Rifampicin induced acute interstitial nephritis in a patient with tuberculosis: A case report

Abstract

Interstitial nephritis is a rare complication of anti-tuberculosis treatment, most commonly rifampicin. This case report describes a 65-year-old woman with diabetes who presented with loss of consciousness due to a major hypoglycemic episode precipitated by severe acute kidney injury, one month after initiating anti-tuberculous therapy. The presence of active urinary sediments, subnephrotic proteinuria and normal sized kidneys prompted performing a renal biopsy which showed interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration suggestive of acute interstitial nephritis, possibly drug induced. The reversal of renal impairment on cessation of rifampicin confirmed the diagnosis. As this is a reversible cause of acute kidney injury, awareness of this association and early identification is vital to prevent deterioration.

Keywords

• Rifampicin
• Acute kidney injury
• Acute interstitial nephritis
• Anti-tuberculosis treatment