Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as
ibuprofen and naproxen, are commonly used to treat pain and
reduce fever in children. However, the use of NSAIDs has been
shown to cause acute kidney injury (AKI) in some children. A new
study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics
reports the findings on the number of children diagnosed with
AKI caused by NSAIDs in one hospital over an 11 ½ year span. Dr.
Jason Misurac and colleagues from the Indiana University School
of Medicine and Butler University retrospectively screened all
patients hospitalized at Riley Hospital for Children at IU
Health who were identified with AKI. Out of 1015 patients with
AKI, 27 were identified to have NSAID-associated AKI. Seventy-
eight percent of the 27 patients had been using NSAIDs for less
than 7 days, and 75% took the medication at the correct dosage.
In 67% of the cases, the family reported that the child had
signs of dehydration. Most of the patients were teens; however,
patients who were less than 5