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Clinical nephrotoxins: renal injury from drugs and chemicals (second edition)
BOOK REVIEW
Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury From Drugs and Chemicals (Second Edition) Editors: Marc E. De Broe, George A. Porter, William M. Bennett, and Gert A. Verpooten Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
D
RUG-INDUCED nephropathy is of great general interest given the ever-growing number of medications, including herbal, that patients are taking. Also, it has become apparent that there are several environmental and industrial toxins that can cause nephropathy. Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury From Drugs and Chemicals is a hardcover book that explores the mechanisms by which medications, environmental toxins, and industrial toxins can cause renal disease. The book is a 712-page, 35-chapter work, written by 95 international authors. The first 7 chapters serve as the foundation for the remainder of the book. Among the topics discussed are the renal handling of medications and other foreign materials (environmental toxins, etc), mechanisms of renal injury at a cellular level, immune-mediated renal injury by toxins, and their clinical importance. These chapters go a long way in enhancing our understanding of how the kidney handles medications and toxins. The general pathophysiology behind renal injury is also explored within the book, and this review is quite good. The bulk of the book covers specific medications, environmental toxins, and industrial toxins that are known to cause renal injury. Importantly, the medications and toxins reviewed are of current, and not historical, clinical interest. Medications reviewed include several antibiotics, antivirals, antiinflammatory agents and analgesics, antihypertensives, immunosuppressives, radiocontrast agents, and many others. I was also happy to see herbal products, specifically aristolochic acids, included in the book. Obviously, with the greatly increased interest in Eastern medicine, this cause of renal failure will only become more problematic. Balkan endemic nephropathy is discussed, and toxins within © 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. 0272-6386/03/4206-0033$30.00/0 doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2003.09.007 1324
the African continent, hair dye, mercury, and pesticides are among the environmental and industrial toxins reviewed. The final few chapters focus on the prevention of drug- and toxin-induced nephropathy. Most of the individual chapters address the prevention of the nephropathy caused by the specific medication or toxin involved. However, the final chapters address prevention in a more global way. Urinary biomarkers of nephropathy are addressed in one chapter. Another chapter focuses on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications in renal failure, as well as drug interactions. The final chapter lists proposed medication dosing regimens, which may have been more useful if the proposed regimens had been referenced. Most chapters have contributions from multiple authors and provide very good, up-to-date information and a very thorough reference list. Most of the chapters flow very well, often commenting (when applicable) on clinical manifestations, pathology, pathophysiology of renal injury (known or suspected), and preventive measures. However, I will say that a couple of chapters did not follow this form, and I was slightly disappointed with these chapters. All chapters have figures and tables, including pictures of biopsies, when applicable. I found the figures and tables to be quite helpful and aided in my understanding of the topic being presented. Overall, this book provides a very good overview on the mechanisms of drug- and toxin-induced nephropathy. Up-to-date information on current clinically relevant medications (including herbal) and worldwide environmental and industrial toxins is provided. It would be a welcome addition to any health care provider’s collection of reference books. Bhavin Patel, PharmD Nephrology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Hennepin County Medical Center Minneapolis, Minnesota
American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Vol 42, No 6 (December), 2003: p 1324
Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury From Drugs and Chemicals (Second Edition) Editors: Marc E. De Broe, George A. Porter, William M. Bennett, and Gert A. Verpooten Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
D
RUG-INDUCED nephropathy is of great general interest given the ever-growing number of medications, including herbal, that patients are taking. Also, it has become apparent that there are several environmental and industrial toxins that can cause nephropathy. Clinical Nephrotoxins: Renal Injury From Drugs and Chemicals is a hardcover book that explores the mechanisms by which medications, environmental toxins, and industrial toxins can cause renal disease. The book is a 712-page, 35-chapter work, written by 95 international authors. The first 7 chapters serve as the foundation for the remainder of the book. Among the topics discussed are the renal handling of medications and other foreign materials (environmental toxins, etc), mechanisms of renal injury at a cellular level, immune-mediated renal injury by toxins, and their clinical importance. These chapters go a long way in enhancing our understanding of how the kidney handles medications and toxins. The general pathophysiology behind renal injury is also explored within the book, and this review is quite good. The bulk of the book covers specific medications, environmental toxins, and industrial toxins that are known to cause renal injury. Importantly, the medications and toxins reviewed are of current, and not historical, clinical interest. Medications reviewed include several antibiotics, antivirals, antiinflammatory agents and analgesics, antihypertensives, immunosuppressives, radiocontrast agents, and many others. I was also happy to see herbal products, specifically aristolochic acids, included in the book. Obviously, with the greatly increased interest in Eastern medicine, this cause of renal failure will only become more problematic. Balkan endemic nephropathy is discussed, and toxins within © 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. 0272-6386/03/4206-0033$30.00/0 doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2003.09.007 1324
the African continent, hair dye, mercury, and pesticides are among the environmental and industrial toxins reviewed. The final few chapters focus on the prevention of drug- and toxin-induced nephropathy. Most of the individual chapters address the prevention of the nephropathy caused by the specific medication or toxin involved. However, the final chapters address prevention in a more global way. Urinary biomarkers of nephropathy are addressed in one chapter. Another chapter focuses on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications in renal failure, as well as drug interactions. The final chapter lists proposed medication dosing regimens, which may have been more useful if the proposed regimens had been referenced. Most chapters have contributions from multiple authors and provide very good, up-to-date information and a very thorough reference list. Most of the chapters flow very well, often commenting (when applicable) on clinical manifestations, pathology, pathophysiology of renal injury (known or suspected), and preventive measures. However, I will say that a couple of chapters did not follow this form, and I was slightly disappointed with these chapters. All chapters have figures and tables, including pictures of biopsies, when applicable. I found the figures and tables to be quite helpful and aided in my understanding of the topic being presented. Overall, this book provides a very good overview on the mechanisms of drug- and toxin-induced nephropathy. Up-to-date information on current clinically relevant medications (including herbal) and worldwide environmental and industrial toxins is provided. It would be a welcome addition to any health care provider’s collection of reference books. Bhavin Patel, PharmD Nephrology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Hennepin County Medical Center Minneapolis, Minnesota
American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Vol 42, No 6 (December), 2003: p 1324