Cases of interstitial nephritis are considered very common in modern medical practice. A similar disease is accompanied by inflammation of the intermediate tissues of the kidney. But unlike other nephritis, damage to interstitial tissues is not directly related to the activity of pathogenic microorganisms.
Main causes of interstitial nephritis
As already mentioned, such a disease is rarely associated with infections. In this case, the inflammatory process is autoimmune and is an allergic reaction caused by taking a number of drugs.
As early as the beginning of the twentieth century, it was noticed that inflammation of the tubules and intermediate tissues of the kidney most often occurs in patients taking painkillers. In particular, potentially dangerous drugs include products containing paracetamol, as well as phenacetin. Long-term use of aspirin leads to approximately the same result.
Also, some antibiotics can cause interstitial nephritis. These drugs includemedicines "Ampicillin", "Penicillin". In some cases, symptoms of an allergic reaction are observed with the use of diuretics and sulfonamides.
Symptoms of interstitial nephritis
Unfortunately, no one can be completely immune from such a disease, as it is often diagnosed in both children and adults and elderly patients. The first signs, as a rule, occur 2-3 days after the start of taking certain drugs.
Acute interstitial nephritis begins with weakness, headaches and unpleasant pulling pains in the lumbar region. In the future, fever, aches and pain in the body appear. Patients complain of constant drowsiness, fatigue. Along with this, nausea and loss of appetite appear. In some cases, inflammation of the kidneys is accompanied by the appearance of a skin rash, as well as pain in the joints.
Due to the inflammatory process and damage to the renal tubules, the excretory system can no longer perform its basic functions. Therefore, the disease is characterized by pain during urination, as well as hematuria. In especially severe cases, the daily amount of urine excreted is significantly reduced up to anuria.
Chronic interstitial nephritis, as a rule, occurs against the background of constant, daily intake of small doses of analgesics. This form of the disease can have a blurred clinical picture, making the diagnosis process more difficult.
Treatment of interstitial nephritis
In fact, therapy in this case directly depends on the cause of the disease. Of course, first of all, you need to identify allergen medications and stop taking them. And while stopping antibiotics is fairly easy, it can be much harder to stop pain medication, especially if the patient is addicted to medication. In this case, a psychiatric consultation is necessary.
During treatment, the patient is prescribed a diet based on foods rich in vitamins and minerals. This will help repair damaged tissue and normalize electrolyte balance. In some cases, hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs are indicated.
It is worth noting that such an inflammatory process, especially in the absence of timely treatment, can lead to the development of renal failure. In such cases, hemodialysis is indicated, and sometimes a kidney transplant.
