title: Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis following ingestion of Chlorella tablets.
abstract: Here, we report on a boy with acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN), who developed it following ingestion of Chlorella tablets as a food supplement. He was incidentally detected to have glucosuria, proteinuria, and leukocyturia during school mass screening. He had had a history of ingestion of Chlorella tablets for 3 months. Laboratory studies showed anemia, increased levels of creatinine, decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), hypokalemia, hypo-uricemia, hypophosphatemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, proteinuria, leukocyturia, and glucosuria. ATIN was diagnosed by renal biopsy. The patient's renal function improved after initiation of corticosteroid therapy and discontinuation of Chlorella for 6 months. Chlorella may be a causative allergen inducing tubulointerstitial injury in kidney.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Guro Hospital, Korea University Medical Center, 80, Guro-Dong, Guro-Gu, Seoul 152-703, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Kee Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Won Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Nam Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Young Sook
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Joo Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002708:Chlorella / Q000737:chemistry; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011239:Prednisolone