Renal Consequences of Long-Term, Low-Dose Intentional Ingestion of Ethylene Glycol

Figures & data

Table 1 Results of laboratory studies in a 43-year-old woman with acute chronic renal failure

Hospital Day #	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Creatinine (mg/dL)	4.7	5.7	8.9	8.8	10.6	9.5	11.4
BUN (mg/dL)	37	42	57	52	64	52	63
Bicarbonate	7	15	13	19	19	25	22
pH	7.26	7.29
Lactate (mmol/L)	9.5	1.3

Figure 1. Kidney biopsy from a 43-year-old woman with acute chronic renal failure. The specimen is examined using an H&E stain at a magnification of 100 × the original size. In Figure 1a, the specimen is examined under bright-field microscopy, showing an acute tubulointerstitial process superimposed on chronic parenchymal damage. There is diffuse acute tubular injury with interstitial edema as well as substantial background fibrosis (40–50%). An active inflammatory infiltrate is seen; however, there are no granulomas and eosinophils are not prominent. In Figure 1b, the specimen is examined under plane-polarized illumination. White birefringence from calcium oxalate type crystals are present within nonscarred areas, suggesting recent deposition. The history of recent ethylene glycol ingestion is the likely etiology.