Varenicline Induced Acute Interstitial Nephritis in the Setting of Idiopathic Membranous Glomerulonephritis

Overview

Journal BMC Nephrol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Nephrology

Date 2013 Nov 13

PMID 24215355

Citations 1

Authors

Wilson Kwong

Christine A White

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Varenicline is a nicotinic receptor partial agonist indicated for the cessation of smoking. It is regarded as having no or minimal renal toxicity. A single case report has linked it to acute interstitial nephritis.

Case Presentation: A 56 year-old female with a long-standing history of idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis presented on routine follow-up with an unexpected rise in her serum creatinine from a stable baseline of 225 umol/L to 319 umol/L Biopsy revealed acute interstitial nephritis. There were no preceding clinical events other than the initiation of varenicline therapy three months prior. This was discontinued with no improvement in renal function. A ten week course of prednisone was initiated and creatinine levels returned to baseline. Shortly after prednisone therapy was completed, renal function worsened but the patient declined further immunosuppressive therapy. Exposure to varenicline therapy two years prior had also resulted in a reversible decline in kidney function.

Conclusion: This is only the second case report to document varenicline-induced acute interstitial nephritis. A careful medication history and renal biopsy were essential in identifying the etiology of the acute kidney injury in this patient with a complex renal history.

Citing Articles

Nephrotoxic effects of varenicline as the most effective drug used for smoking cessation: a preliminary experimental study.

Koc A, Erken H, Kocak F, Yay A, Guclu A, Sari E Int Urol Nephrol. 2015; 47(5):823-9.

PMID: 25812822 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-015-0949-5.

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