Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Medical Journal logoLink to British Medical Journal
. 1972 Apr 15;2(5806):131–134. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5806.131

Nephrotic Syndrome in Adult Africans in Nairobi

R D Barr, P H Rees, P E Cordy, A Kungu, B A Woodger, H M Cameron
PMCID: PMC1788008  PMID: 4111681

Abstract

The adult nephrotic syndrome as met with in Nairobi is predominantly encountered in young sophisticated African women, most of whom began to use skin-lightening creams containing mercury before the symptomatic onset of their illness. The particular form of mercury involved is well known to cause the nephrotic syndrome in other circumstances—for example, when applied to the skin in the treatment of psoriasis. In these circumstances the pathogenetic mechanism is thought to be of an idiosyncratic type. The use of mercury-containing skin-lightening creams in the patients studied seemed to be particularly associated with a “minimal-change” (“light-negative”) renal glomerular lesion, this lesion being present in half of the patients. The prognosis in this group of patients seems remarkably good, with 50% entering remission, 77% of these doing so spontaneously on discontinuing the use of the creams.

Full text

PDF
132

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BECKER C. G., BECKER E. L., MAHER J. F., SCHREINER G. E. Nephrotic syndrome after contact with mercury. A report of five cases, three after the use of ammoniated mercury ointment. Arch Intern Med. 1962 Aug;110:178–186. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1962.03620200038008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BLAINEY J. D., BREWER D. B., HARDWICKE J., SOOTHILL J. F. The nephrotic syndrome. Diagnosis by renal biopsy and biochemical and immunological analyses related to the response to steroid therapy. Q J Med. 1960 Apr;29:235–256. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BROUGHTON P. M. Barbiturates giving atypical results on ultraviolet spectrophotometric analysis. Lancet. 1963 Jun 8;1(7293):1266–1267. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)91901-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BURSTON J., DARMADY E. M., STRANACK F. Nephrosis dur to mercurial diuretics. Br Med J. 1958 May 31;1(5082):1277–1279. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5082.1277. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Black D. A., Rose G., Brewer D. B. Controlled trial of prednisone in adult patients with the nephrotic syndrome. Br Med J. 1970 Aug 22;3(5720):421–426. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5720.421. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CAMERON J. S., TROUNCE J. R. MEMBRANOUS GLOMERULONEPHRITIS AND THE NEPHROTIC SYNDROME APPEARING DURING MERSALYL THERAPY. Guys Hosp Rep. 1965;114:101–107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CLENNAR G., LEDERER H. Mercurial diuretics and nephrosis. Br Med J. 1958 Jun 28;1(5086):1544–1544. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5086.1544-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fawcett I. W., Hilton P. J., Jones N. F., Wing A. J. Nephrotic syndrome in the elderly. Br Med J. 1971 May 15;2(5758):387–388. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5758.387. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goldberg D. M., Clarke A. D. Measurement of mercury in human urine. J Clin Pathol. 1970 Mar;23(2):178–184. doi: 10.1136/jcp.23.2.178. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KARK R. M., PIRANI C. L., POLLAK V. E., MUEHRCKE R. C., BLAINEY J. D. The nephrotic syndrome in adults: a common disorder with many causes. Ann Intern Med. 1958 Oct;49(4):751–754. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-49-4-751. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KAZANTZIS G., SCHILLER K. F., ASSCHER A. W., DREW R. G. Albuminuria and the nephrotic syndrome following exposure to mercury and its compounds. Q J Med. 1962 Oct;31:403–418. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kibukamusoke J. W., Hutt M. S. Histological features of the nephrotic syndrome associated with quartan malaria. J Clin Pathol. 1967 Mar;20(2):117–123. doi: 10.1136/jcp.20.2.117. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kibukamusoke J. W., Hutt M. S., Wilks N. E. The nephrotic syndrome in Uganda and its association with quartan malaria. Q J Med. 1967 Jul;36(143):393–408. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kibukamusoke J. W., Voller A. Serological studies on nephrotic syndrome of quartan malaria in Uganda. Br Med J. 1970 Feb 14;1(5693):406–407. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5693.406. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lindstedt G. A rapid method for the determination of mercury in urine. Analyst. 1970 Mar;95(128):264–271. doi: 10.1039/an9709500264. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. MUNCK O., NISSEN N. I. Development of nephrotic syndrome during treatment with mercurial diuretics. Acta Med Scand. 1956 Jan 25;153(4):307–313. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1955.tb18231.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. McIntosh R. M., Tinglof B., Kaufman D., Dornfeld L., Gonick H., Smith F. G., Vernier R. L. Immunohistology in renal disease. Diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and etiology value and limitations. Q J Med. 1971 Jul;40(159):385–390. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Miller R. B., Harrington J. T., Ramos C. P., Relman A. S., Schwartz W. B. Long-term results of steroid therapy in adults with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Am J Med. 1969 Jun;46(6):919–929. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(69)90094-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ngu J. L., Blackett K. Complement and immunoconglutinin changes in the nephrotic syndrome of adult Africans. J Trop Med Hyg. 1970 Oct;73(10):250–254. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. PREEDY J. R., RUSSELL D. S. Acute salt depletion associated with the nephrotic syndrome developing during treatment with a mercurial diuretic. Lancet. 1953 Dec 5;265(6797):1181–1184. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(53)90730-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. RIDDLE M., GARDNER F., BESWICK I., FILSHIE I. The nephrotic syndrome complicating mercurial diuretic therapy. Br Med J. 1958 May 31;1(5082):1274–1277. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5082.1274. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Sharpstone P., Ogg C. S., Cameron Nephrotic syndrome due to primary renal disease in adults: I. Survey of incidence in South-east England. Br Med J. 1969 May 31;2(5656):533–535. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5656.533. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Silverberg D. S., McCall J. T., Hunt J. C. Nephrotic syndrome with use of ammoniated mercury. Arch Intern Med. 1967 Nov;120(5):581–586. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Strunge P. Nephrotic syndrome caused by a seed disinfectant. J Occup Med. 1970 May;12(5):178–179. doi: 10.1097/00043764-197005000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. THAYER J. M., GLECKLER W. J., HOLMES R. O. The development of the nephrotic syndrome during the course of congestive heart failure: case report and review of the literature. Ann Intern Med. 1961 May;54:1013–1025. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-54-5-1013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Turk J. L., Baker H. Nephrotic syndrome due to ammoniated mercury. Br J Dermatol. 1968 Sep;80(9):623–624. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. WARREN D. E. NEPHROTIC SYNDROME CAUSED BY PROTIODIDE OF MERCURY. Arch Dermatol. 1965 Mar;91:240–242. doi: 10.1001/archderm.1965.01600090048009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. WILSON V. K., THOMSON M. L., HOLZEL A. Mercury nephrosis in young children, with special reference to teething powders containing mercury. Br Med J. 1952 Feb 16;1(4754):358–360. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4754.358. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wall H., Rhodes C. The effect of bacterial contamination and aging on the volatility of mercury in urine specimens. Clin Chem. 1966 Dec;12(12):837–843. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. White R. H. Cytotoxic drug therapy in steroid-resistant glomerulonephritis. Proc R Soc Med. 1967 Nov 1;60(11 Pt 1):1164–1168. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Wilkinson R., Eccleston D. W. Nephrotic syndrome induced by gold therapy. Br Med J. 1970 Jun 27;2(5712):772–772. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5712.772. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. van den Broek H., Han M. T. "Gold nephrosis". N Engl J Med. 1966 Jan 27;274(4):210–211. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196601272740410. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES