Renal amyloidosis and subcutaneous drug abuse

Ann Intern Med. 1979 Oct;91(4):565-7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-91-4-565.

Abstract

Two drug addicts who practiced subcutaneous injection of crushed tripelennamine and pentazocine tablets, a practice known as "skin-popping," developed nephrotic syndrome and demonstrated amyloidosis on renal biopsy. These patients had chronic inflammation of the skin in the form of abscesses and ulcerations. Although both patients were long-standing drug abusers, they had practiced intradermal drug administration for only 3 years. The occurrence of amyloidosis in these patients appears to relate to their particular drug habir and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of proteinuria in this patient population.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amyloidosis / chemically induced*
  • Amyloidosis / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Pentazocine*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / complications*
  • Tripelennamine*

Substances

  • Tripelennamine
  • Pentazocine