Renal Damage Associated with Chronic Phenacetin Overdosage

Article1 December 1962Renal Damage Associated with Chronic Phenacetin OverdosageA. RAPOPORT, M.D., M.A., F.R.C.P. (C), L. W. WHITE, M.D., G. N. RANKING, M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S. (C)A. RAPOPORT, M.D., M.A., F.R.C.P. (C)Search for more papers by this author, L. W. WHITE, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, G. N. RANKING, M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S. (C)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-57-6-970 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptIt has long been recognized that phenacetin overdosage can produce hematological disturbances such as hemolytic anemia, methemoglobinemia, and sulfhemoglobinemia. Symptoms of nervous system disturbance, such as headache, irritability, depression, tremor, and emotional lability, also have been noted.That kidney damage could result from chronic phenacetin overdosage was first reported in 1953 by Spühler and Zollinger (1), who observed that many patients with chronic interstitial nephritis gave a history of excessive intake of phenacetin-containing analgesics. Moeschlin, also of Switzerland (2), reported 55 cases of chronic phenacetin abuse in 2400 hospital admissions during a 2-year period. Eight of the 55 patients had...References1. SPÜHLERZOLLINGER OHU: Die chronisch interstitielle Nephritis. Z. Klin. Med. 151: 1, 1953. MedlineGoogle Scholar2. MOESCHLIN S: Acetophenetidin (phenacetin) as cause of addiction and disorders: anemia with Heinz's bodies and interstitial nephritis. (Abstract) JAMA 164: 934, 1957. Google Scholar3. ZOLLINGER HU: Biology of Pyelonephritis, 1st Ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1960, p. 59. Google Scholar4. LARSENMOLLER KCE: A renal lesion caused by abuse of phenacetin. Acta Med. Scand. 164: 53, 1959. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. LINDENEGFISCHERPEDERSENNISSEN OSJNI: Necrosis of the renal papillae and prolonged abuse of phenacetin. Acta Med. Scand. 165: 321, 1959. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. NORDENFELTRINGERTZ ON: Phenacetin takers dead with renal failure. Acta Med. Scand. 170: 385, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. MOOLTENSMITH SEIB: Fatal nephritis in chronic phenacetin poisoning. Amer. J. Med. 28: 127, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. LAKEY WH: Interstitial nephritis due to chronic phenacetin poisoning. Canad. Med. Ass. J. 85: 477, 1961. MedlineGoogle Scholar9. MANDEL EE: Renal medullary necrosis. Arch. Intern. Med. 91: 417, 1953. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. MACGIBBONLOUGHRIDGEHOURIHANEBOYD BLDODW: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia with acute renal failure due to phenacetin and p-amino-salicylic acid. Lancet 1: 7, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. FOGHNISSEN FSNI: The mechanism of reduction of erythrocyte lifetime in phenacetin habitues with renal impairment. Acta Med. Scand. 168: 127, 1960. MedlineGoogle Scholar12. NISSENFRIIS NIT: Further study of the mechanism of reduction of erythrocyte survival time in phenacetin habitues and its relation to "phenacetin kidney disorders." Acta Med. Scand. 171: 125, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. MIESCHERSCHNYDERKRECH PUU: Zur Pathogenese der "interstitiellen Nephritis" bei Abusus von phenacetinhaltigen Analgetica. Schweiz. Med. Wschr. 88: 432, 1958. MedlineGoogle Scholar14. EISALOTALANTI AS: Observations on the effect of phenacetin and n-acetyl-p-aminophenol on rat kidneys. Acta Med. Scand. 169: 655, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar15. HARVALDVALDORF-HANSENNIELSEN BFA: Effect on the kidney of drugs containing phenacetin. Lancet 1: 303, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar16. CLAUSENHARVALD EDB: Nephrotoxicity of different analgesics. Acta Med. Scand. 170: 469, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar17. SCHWARTZRELMAN WBAS: Acidosis in renal disease. New Engl. J. Med. 256: 1184, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: A. RAPOPORT, M.D., M.A., F.R.C.P. (C); L. W. WHITE, M.D.; G. N. RANKING, M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S. (C)Affiliations: Toronto,From the Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital and the University of Toronto.Supported in part by a grant from the Ontario Heart Foundation.Requests for reprints should be addressed to A. Rapoport, M.D., Department of Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto 2B, Ontario. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byAnalgesic-associated nephropathyPhenacetin: an updateNephropathie durch AnalgeticaPersistent analgesic abuse in analgesic nephropathyThe aetiology of renal medullary necrosis: A survey of adult cases in LiverpoolSyndrome Associated with the Abuse of AnalgesicsM. HENRY GAULT, M.D., M.SC., F.A.C.P., T. CHRISTOPHER RUDWAL, M.D., W. DENNIS ENGLES, B.SC., M.D., JOHN B. DOSSETOR, M.A., B.M., B.CH., PH.D., F.R.C.P.(C)Pyelonephritis und chronische interstitielle NephritisCalcification of the renal papillae as a sign of analgesic nephropathyCHRONIC PHENACETIN NEPHROPATHYIs Phenacetin the Cause of “Analgesic Nephrotoxicity”?Migraine, Gastritis and Renal Papillary Necrosis A Syndrome in Chronic Nonobstructive PyelonephritisEnvironment and the KidneyAnalgesic Effectiveness of New Propoxyphene PreparationsToxic nephropathyManagement of chronic renal failureAnalgesic nephrotoxicityRenal Papillary Necrosis Associated with Analgesic AbuseHERBERT F. R. PLASS, M.D.Toxic effects ascribed to prolonged abuse of acetophenetidin (Phenacetin) 1 December 1962Volume 57, Issue 6 Page: 970-980 Keywords Hospital medicine Kidneys Methemoglobinemia Nephritis Nervous system Peptic ulcers Proteinuria Pyelonephritis Surgery Urinary tract infections ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 December 1962 PDF downloadLoading ...