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Cephalexin‐Induced Acute Tubular Necrosis
Author(s) -
Longstreth Kristen L.,
Robbins Steven D.,
Smavatkul Chanigan,
Doe Nathaniel S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1592/phco.24.8.808.36069
Subject(s) - nephrotoxicity , medicine , creatinine , vomiting , nausea , cephalosporin , acute tubular necrosis , interstitial nephritis , diarrhea , gastroenterology , renal function , penicillin , antibiotics , toxicity , kidney , chemistry , biochemistry
A 24‐year‐old woman with a history of penicillin allergy developed reversible acute renal failure after receiving cephalexin for 4 days. The patient experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pruritus, cough, and an elevated creatinine level of 2.2 mg/dl. The patient's creatinine level continued to rise, peaking at 5.3 mg/dl on hospital day 3. Nephrotoxic acute tubular necrosis was confirmed by electron microscopy. Within 1 month of discharge from the hospital, the patient's creatinine level decreased to 0.6 mg/dl. Although the renal injury most commonly associated with the cephalosporin class of antibiotics is allergic interstitial nephritis, currently available cephalosporins infrequently can cause direct tubular toxicity.