Renal abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

Creatinine clearances, tests of urine concentrating ability, careful urine analyses, and urine cultrues were obtained for 42 patients with known rheumatoid arthritis. Renal abnormalities were documented in 22 of the patients, 16 of whom had diminished creatinine clearances. On the basis of these renal abnormalities, 11 patients were felt to have interstitial nephritis, 2 gave evidence of glomerular disease, and 9 had unclassified abnormalities. Some of this last group may have had interstitial nephritis. Only 2 of this series of patients admitted to taking phenacetin, and neither of them had renal disease. Only one patient had not taken large doses of aspirin as treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and she showed no renal abnormalities.