Lead nephropathy Fanconi syndrome

Renal Effects. The characteristics of early or acute lead-induced nephropathy in humans include nuclear inclusion bodies, mitochondrial changes, and cytomegaly of the proximal tubular epithelial cells dysfunction of the proximal tubules (Fanconi s syndrome) manifested as aminoaciduria, glucosuria, and phosphaturia with hypophosphatemia and increased sodium and decreased uric acid excretion. These effects appear to be reversible. Characteristics of chronic lead nephropathy include progressive interstitial fibrosis, dilation of tubules and atrophy or hyperplasia of the tubular epithelial cells, and few or no nuclear inclusion bodies, reduction in glomerular filtration rate, and azotemia. These effects are irreversible. The acute form is reported in lead-intoxicated children, whose primary exposure is via the oral route, and sometimes in lead workers. The chronic form is reported mainly in lead workers, whose primary exposure is via inhalation. Animal studies provide evidence of nephropathy similar to that which occurs in humans, particularly the acute form (see Section 2.2.3.2). 

In children with lead encephalopathy, proximal tubule reabsorptive defects characterized by the Fanconi syndrome have been observed [13]. The Fanconi syndrome appears when blood lead levels approach 150 //g/ dL. It is rapidly reversed by chelation therapy designed to treat the far more dangerous lead encephalopathy. The proximal tubule reabsorptive defect can regularly be induced experimentally in rats fed dietary lead [14]. In both children and experimental animals, acute lead nephropathy is consistently associated with acid-fast intranuclear inclusions in proximal tubule... 

Early kidney disease is difficult to detect. The urinalysis is normal in early lead nephropathy and the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine increase only when two-thirds of kidney function is lost. Measurement of creatinine clearance can often detect earlier disease as can other methods of measurement of glomerular filtration rate. An abnormal Ca-EDTA mobilization test has been used to differentiate between lead-induced and other nephropathies, but this procedure is not widely accepted. A form of Fanconi syndrome with aminoaciduria, glycosuria, and hyperphosphaturia indicating severe injury to the proximal renal tubules is occasionally seen in children. 

This chapter describes the acute and chronic nephrotoxic effects of lead in human populations. These effects have long been recognized in chronic adult occupational lead exposures and in nonoccupational adult exposures arising from dietary Pb intakes, producing disorders such as gouty nephropathy. In acute childhood Pb exposure, severe kidney effects in the form of Fanconi syndrome were identified in the early pediatric literature. The syndrome often co-occurred with acute encephalopathy. 

Unlike the neurotoxicological, developmental, and other toxic effects of lead, chronic lead nephropathy was historically viewed as a disease of adults, particularly lead workers, and children were generally considered to be at low risk. The exception to this view was kidney tubular injury in early, acute childhood Pb poisoning in the form of Fanconi Syndrome. 

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