A Case of Acetaminophen-Associated Acute Interstitial Nephritis

Few cases of acute interstitial nephritis associated with a therapeutic acetaminophen dose have been reported. A 33-year-old man developed an acute kidney injury after treatment with acetaminophen for fever. Rash, lymphadenopathy, petechiae, and arthralgia were not observed. Urinalysis indicated the presence of white blood cell casts, and computed tomography revealed bilateral kidney enlargement. Renal biopsy revealed massive infiltration of interstitial inflammatory cells and tubulitis. Following an extremely strong result for acetaminophen in drug lymphocyte stimulation tests, the patient was diagnosed with acetaminophen-associated acute interstitial nephritis. Therefore, acetaminophen should be considered an etiological agent of acute interstitial nephritis.