Drug hypersensitivity causing granulomatous interstitial nephritis.

In association with treatment for pharyngitis, a 47-year-old white man developed a systemic illness with fever, myalgia, episcleritis, hemoptysis, pleurisy, eosinophilia, and renal impairment. Renal biopsy revealed granulomatous interstitial nephritis, which resolved due to no specific treatment other than withdrawing all medication. Both the severe systemic manifestations and spontaneous recovery are unusual in association with drug-induced granulomatous nephritis. The drugs that may have caused the reaction included dihydrocodeine, phenylpropanolamine, erythromycin, and amoxycillin. Although the latter three drugs have been previously implicated in the development of interstitial nephritis, there have been no previous reports of granulomatous interstitial nephritis with any of these drugs.