Idiopathic granulomatous interstitial nephritis responsive to mycophenolate mofetil therapy

Am J Kidney Dis. 2014 Apr;63(4):696-9. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2013.10.045. Epub 2013 Dec 4.

Abstract

Granulomatous interstitial nephritis (GIN) is a rare histologic disease. Various causes have been reported in the literature, including drugs, sarcoidosis, and infections. Other incidents have no discernible cause and are identified as idiopathic. We report a 68-year-old white man who presented with acute kidney injury and was given a diagnosis of idiopathic GIN. Mycophenolate mofetil treatment was elected because of steroid toxicity. He responded well to mycophenolate mofetil and has been in remission for more than 3 years. To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful treatment with mycophenolate mofetil of an adult patient with idiopathic GIN.

Keywords: Granulomatous interstitial nephritis (GIN); mycophenolate mofetil.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / etiology
  • Acute Kidney Injury / pathology
  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Granuloma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / administration & dosage
  • Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Mycophenolic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Nephritis, Interstitial / blood
  • Nephritis, Interstitial / complications
  • Nephritis, Interstitial / drug therapy*
  • Nephritis, Interstitial / pathology
  • Remission Induction
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Creatinine
  • Mycophenolic Acid
  • Methylprednisolone