Exposure to Organic Solvents—A Missing Link in Poststreptococcal Glomerulonephritis?

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Abstract
Patients (15) with evidence of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis were asked about their contact with vapors of organic solvents. Six pateints reported brief exposure shortly before the onset of glomerulonephritis, 4 fairly long exposure, and 5 none or insignificant. At the latest follow-up, 3 of 4 patients who were still exposed to such solvents had proteinuria and a low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and 2 were hypertensive. Of the 11 patients who were never or no longer exposed, the GFR was insignificantly decreased in 2, none had proteinuria and none were hypertensive. Fifteen age- and sex-matched controls who had been infected with group A .beta.-hemolytic streptococci T type 12, had not been exposed, or the exposure was insignificant and not related to the streptococcal infection. Exposure to organic solvents or other nephrotoxic agents may be the determinant in the outcome of an infection with nephritogenic streptococci.