Interstitial Nephritis Flashcards
What makes up most of the kidney cortex?
PCTs
Does the collecting duct system have a separate embryological origin?
YES
What is the role of the interstitial cells?
- production of erythropoeitin
- conversion of vitamin D to its active form (allows GI tract to absorb calcium from diet).
What will you see with someone who has ACUTE interstitial nephritis?
someone who has acute renal failure
What are the causes of ACUTE renal failure?
- acute tubular necrosis (50%)
- acute interstitial nephritis
- pre-renal azotemia
- contrast nephropathy
- urinary tract obstruction
- glomerulonephritis or vasculitis
- atheroemboli
** What is ACUTE interstitial nephritis?
an inflammatory lesion of the kidney marked by intense accumulation of PMNs, eosinophils, and lymphocytes induced by immunologic injury.
** What is CHRONIC interstitial nephritis?
a fibrosis of the renal tubulointerstitium from immunologic or toxic injury
What is the difference between acute tubular necrosis and acute interstitial nephritis?
acute tubular necrosis= ischemic or toxic injury to the tubular epithelial cells that causes them to leave the basement membrane and block the renal tubule.
How does ACUTE interstitial nephritis typically present?
sudden deterioration in kidney function and typically occurs in hospitalized pts.
*This is important to distinguish from acute tubular necrosis because its very dangerous to biopsy a pt in this state so we must rely on our clinical intuition.
*** What are the causes of acute interstitial nephritis?
- DRUGS= NSAIDs and antibiotics (sulfa drugs, rifampin, fluoroquinolones, PPIs..).
- This occurs bc the body recognizes these drugs as foreign and forms antibodies against these antigens, and these antibodies cross-react with the innocent by-standing kidney.
- INFECTION= legionella, leptospirosis, cytomegalovirus, streptococci…
- AUTOIMMUNE= SLE, tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis.
- METABOLIC= oxalate (metabolite of ethylene glycol), which in addition to metabolic acidosis, also causes acute renal damage. Also uric acid (from nucleotide breakdown; often from leukemia treatment).
Do common urinary tract infections from gram negative bacteria (i.e. E. coli) cause acute renal failure?
NO
What will you see with metabolic causes of acute interstitial nephritis?
tubular oxalate crystals or uric acid crystals
What is pyelonephritis?
tubular interstitial nephritis secondary to urinary tract infection.
*** What are the clinical clues to help you make the diagnosis of ACUTE interstitial nephritis?
- urinalysis= pyuria (pus; WBCs in the urine) or eosinophilia.
- renal function= acute rise in BUN and creatinine.
- systemic= eosinophilia, fever, rash, malaise
What is the therapy for ACUTE interstitial nephritis?
- remove inciting agent
- consider anti-inflammatories or immunosuppressives
What would you find in a biopsy of someone who has CHRONIC renal failure (elevated serum creatinine for weeks/months)?
- scarring, fibrosing low level of inflammatory process. Most will be due to CHRONIC INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS. This will be due to either HTN, chronic ischemia, or toxic nephropathies.
- a few will have glomerulonephritis.
- less will have cystic disease
What will CHRONIC interstitial nephritis actually look like on histology?
almost like the thyroid due to what looks similar to colloid in the tubules.
- What is important to remember about CHRONIC tubulointerstitial nephritis?
it is the final common pathway for all disorders causing renal failure and may represent a specific series of disorders originating with a toxic, metabolic, or immune injury to the renal tubules and interstitium.