Clozapine induced tubulointerstitial nephritis in a patient with paranoid schizophrenia.

Abstract

We describe the development of tubulointerstitial nephritis after starting clozapine therapy in a patient with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. A 54-year-old mixed-race patient with a longstanding history of paranoid schizophrenia was started on the antipsychotic clozapine. Two months after starting clozapine he developed fevers, cough and acute renal failure which initially responded to 7 days of prednisolone but recurred after completing the steroid course. Renal biopsy confirmed acute tubulointerstitial nephritis and he was started on a course of steroids with renal recovery in 72 h. Clozapine was later stopped. This case highlights a serious and potential life-threatening complication of an important antipsychotic used in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

• Authors: Ravi Parekh, Zozik Fattah, Dilraj Sahota, Bernie Colaco
• Journal: BMJ case reports (BMJ Case Rep) Vol. 2014 (May 20 2014) ISSN: 1757-790X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24849641 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Clozapine

Topics

• Antipsychotic Agents (adverse effects)
• Clozapine (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nephritis, Interstitial (chemically induced, pathology)
• Schizophrenia, Paranoid (drug therapy)