Korean J Med.  2012 Feb;82(2):236-240.

A Case of Rifampin-Induced Crescentic Glomerulonephritis

• Lee KN
• Song SH
• Rhee H
• Seong EY
• Kim IY
• Lee SB
• Kwak IS

Abstract

A 56-year-old male with pulmonary tuberculosis was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of generalized edema. He began antituberculosis treatment with rifampin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. He experienced abnormal increments in weight and serum creatinine after 6 weeks. All serological findings, including anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), were negative. Rifampin was stopped because it might have caused the increase in creatinine. Renal biopsy was consistent with pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN). His renal function was improved by high-dose steroid treatment. Rifampin-induced, ANCA-negative pauci-immune CrGN is very rare; most cases of rifampin-induced acute renal failure are due to acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. We present here a case of rifampin-induced CrGN and pulmonary tuberculosis successfully treated with high-dose steroids and antituberculosis medications, excluding rifampin.

Keyword

Rifampin; Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies; Glomerulonephritis

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
Biopsy
Creatinine
Edema
Ethambutol
Glomerulonephritis
Humans
Isoniazid
Male
Middle Aged
Nephritis, Interstitial
Pyrazinamide
Rifampin
Steroids
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
Creatinine
Ethambutol
Isoniazid
Nephritis, Interstitial
Pyrazinamide
Rifampin
Steroids