Acyclovir has caused acute renal failure in a child with leukemia with no preexisting renal impairment. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Acute renal failure with acyclovir treatment in a child with leukemia.
Drug Chem Toxicol. 2010 Apr;33(2):217-9. PMID: 20307148
Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. [email protected]
Acyclovir is an effective, frequently used antiviral agent. Adverse effects of this drug are well known and are especially seen with high doses and/or dehydration. In this article, we report a 6-year-old boy with leukemia with nonoliguric acute renal failure in normal hydration status after using acyclovir treatment. He had no preexisting renal impairment, and there were no additional symptoms. Dimercaptosuccinic acid radionucleid scyntigraphy and other laboratory findings revealed impairment of proximal tubule function, in addition to distal tubule. We emphasize that renal functions should be monitored carefully during treatment with acyclovir, and asymptomatic nephrotoxicity must be kept in mind.