[Renal disorders induced by organic solvents].

Organic solvents are a class of chemical substances that are widely used in large volume in various manufacturing plants. Due to their high lipophilicity, organic solvents may produce physicochemical damage to renal glomeruli and tubuli. Many reports have been published abroad, though only a few in Japan, on organic solvent-induced nephropathy such as Goodpasture syndrome, a form of renal damage mediated by anti-basement membrane antibodies. This article reviews the epidemiological studies published in the literature and stresses that organic solvent exposure is one of the etiological factors involved in the development of chronic nephropathy. At present in Japan there are 60,000 patients with terminal renal failure undergoing hemodialysis, 50,000 young men placed under observation each year for abuse of organic solvents, and one million workers exposed to organic solvents in factories. Attention should be focused on the occurrence of renal damage due to organic solvents in Japan.