Phenotype Standardization for Drug Induced Kidney Disease

Drug induced kidney disease is a frequent cause of renal dysfunction; however, there are no standards to identify and characterize the spectrum of these disorders. We convened a panel of international, adult and pediatric, nephrologists and pharmacists to develop standardized phenotypes for drug induced kidney disease as part of the phenotype standardization project initiated by the International Serious Adverse Events Consortium. We propose four phenotypes of drug induced kidney disease based on clinical presentation: acute kidney injury, glomerular, tubular and nephrolithiasis, along with primary and secondary clinical criteria to support the phenotype definition, and a time course based on the KDIGO/AKIN definitions of acute kidney injury, acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease. Establishing causality in drug induced kidney disease is challenging and requires knowledge of the biological plausibility for the specific drug, mechanism of injury, time course and assessment of competing risk factors. These phenotypes provide a consistent framework for clinicians, investigators, industry and regulatory agencies to evaluate drug nephrotoxicity across various settings. We believe that this is first step to recognizing drug induced kidney disease and developing strategies to prevent and manage this condition.