Primary chronic interstitial nephritis in Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
In Crohn's disease, cases of interstitial nephritis with renal failure have been reported in connection with the use of mesalamine.


METHODS
We observed 4 patients with severe interstitial nephritis proven by examination of kidney biopsy specimens. Renal failure was discovered before or simultaneously with the diagnosis of Crohn's disease, and patients were not treated with mesalamine. Impairment of renal function progressed to end-stage renal failure in 3 of the 4 patients.


RESULTS
Our results show that the kidney can be an extraintestinal target of Crohn's disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Several unanswered questions remain concerning the frequency of interstitial nephritis in patients with Crohn's disease, as well as the exact role of mesalamine in the development of chronic interstitial nephritis.
Izzedine
Hassane
H
Department of Nephrology, Pitié Hospital, and INSERM U423, Paris, France.
Simon
Jeanne
J
Piette
Anne-Marie
AM
Lucsko
Michel
M
Baumelou
Alain
A
Charitanski
Didier
D
Kernaonet
Eve
E
Baglin
Anne-Catherine
AC
Deray
Gilbert
G
Beaufils
Hélène
H
D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000209:etiology*