Condition Lookup
Category:
Tubulointerstitial Diseases
Number of Conditions: 4
Tubulointerstitial Nephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Tubulointerstitial Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; nausea; loss of appetite; fever; rash; joint pain; decreased urine output; blood in urine; edema
Root Cause:
Inflammation of the kidney's tubules and interstitial tissue, often caused by an immune-mediated response to drugs, infections, or systemic diseases.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (presence of white blood cells, red blood cells, or casts), blood tests (elevated creatinine and BUN), imaging (ultrasound or CT for structural abnormalities), kidney biopsy (to confirm inflammation and etiology).
Treatment:
Discontinuing causative agents, managing underlying infections or systemic diseases, corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants in severe cases.
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) to reduce inflammation; antibiotics or antivirals for infection-related causes; immunosuppressive drugs (e.g., azathioprine or cyclosporine ) in autoimmune-associated cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for approximately 10-15% of cases of acute kidney injury.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Use of nephrotoxic medications (e.g., NSAIDs, antibiotics like penicillin), infections (e.g., streptococcus, cytomegalovirus), autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, sarcoidosis).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally favorable with early detection and management; chronic kidney damage can occur if treatment is delayed or if the underlying cause persists.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, permanent scarring of the kidneys, electrolyte imbalances, progression to end-stage renal disease.
Acute Interstitial Nephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Tubulointerstitial Diseases
Symptoms:
fever; rash; joint pain; eosinophilia; hematuria; oliguria; flank pain
Root Cause:
Acute inflammation of the interstitial tissue of the kidneys, usually caused by an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction to drugs or infections.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (eosinophils in urine, sterile pyuria), blood tests (elevated creatinine and eosinophilia), kidney biopsy (interstitial inflammation and edema).
Treatment:
Discontinuation of the offending drug, corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone) to reduce inflammation, supportive care for renal function.
Medications:
Corticosteroids like prednisone are commonly used. In some cases, antihistamines may be used for allergic reactions.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Accounts for 10-15% of cases of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Use of drugs such as NSAIDs, proton pump inhibitors, and antibiotics; systemic infections; autoimmune diseases.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Usually good with prompt treatment, but delayed intervention may lead to chronic kidney damage.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, permanent loss of renal function.
Chronic Interstitial Nephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Tubulointerstitial Diseases
Symptoms:
fatigue; anemia; polyuria; nocturia; hypertension; mild proteinuria
Root Cause:
Progressive scarring and inflammation of the kidney's tubules and interstitium, often due to chronic exposure to toxins, metabolic disorders, or autoimmune diseases.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (low-level proteinuria, absence of active sediment), imaging (ultrasound showing small, scarred kidneys), kidney biopsy (interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy).
Treatment:
Treating underlying causes, avoiding nephrotoxic agents, managing hypertension with ACE inhibitors or ARBs, corticosteroids or immunosuppressants if autoimmune-related.
Medications:
ACE inhibitors (e.g., enalapril ), ARBs (e.g., losartan ), corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ), and immunosuppressants in certain cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively rare, with variable prevalence depending on region and exposure to nephrotoxins.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Long-term use of NSAIDs, exposure to heavy metals, chronic infections, and autoimmune diseases like lupus.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Slow progression with early intervention, but advanced cases can lead to chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, electrolyte imbalances, renal failure.
Fanconi Syndrome
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Tubulointerstitial Diseases
Symptoms:
excessive urination; dehydration; muscle weakness; growth retardation in children; osteomalacia; electrolyte imbalances
Root Cause:
Defective reabsorption in the proximal tubule of the kidney, leading to loss of glucose, amino acids, phosphate, bicarbonate, and other solutes in the urine.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (presence of glucose, phosphate, and amino acids), blood tests (hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, metabolic acidosis), imaging (bone density scans in adults for osteomalacia).
Treatment:
Addressing the underlying cause (e.g., withdrawal of drugs, treating genetic or metabolic disorders), replacement of lost solutes (e.g., bicarbonate, phosphate, potassium), supportive therapy.
Medications:
Phosphate supplements, potassium citrate (to correct acidosis), and vitamin D analogs (e.g., calcitriol ) to manage bone disorders.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; more common in inherited metabolic disorders or drug toxicity cases.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Inherited disorders (e.g., cystinosis, Wilson's disease), exposure to heavy metals, use of certain drugs (e.g., tenofovir).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on the underlying cause; treatable with supportive care, but severe cases may progress to chronic kidney disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Bone disorders (rickets, osteomalacia), chronic kidney disease, electrolyte imbalances, growth retardation in children.