The kidneys, a pair of organs located on the left and right side
of the abdomen, are an essential component of the urinary tract.
The kidneys are responsible for removing toxins, chemicals and
waste products from the blood. They also regulate acid
concentration and maintain water and electrolyte balance in the
body by excreting urine. Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is a
kidney disorder characterized by inflammation of the tubules and
the spaces between the renal (kidney) tubules and the glomeruli
(tiny structure in the kidney made of capillary blood vessels).
Strong evidence suggests that acute interstitial nephritis is an
immune-mediated tubulointerstitial injury, which is initiated by
medications or infections. Nephritis may be acute (lasting only
a few weeks) or chronic (long-term). If the condition is
chronic, kidney damage can become progressively worse. Chronic
nephritis is more common among the elderly and often results in
permanent kidney damage. About 15% of kidney failure cases are
related to ac