Interaction of rifampin and glucocorticoids. Adverse effect on renal allograft function.

Three renal transplant patients experienced progressive loss of renal allograft function during rifampin treatment for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Previous studies have shown that rifampin causes induction of enzymes in hepatic microsomes that increase the catabolism of glucocorticoids. Evidence is presented that in our patients, the loss of renal allograft function during rifampin therapy was the result of decreased glucocorticoid effect presumably related to increased catabolism of the glucocorticoid drug they received. Thus, the adverse effects of rifampin on renal transplant function might be overcome by increasing the dose of glucocorticoid drug.