NEPHROSIS OCCURRING DURING TRIMETHADIONE THERAPY

In May 1948, Barnett, Simons and Wells1reported a case of a 16 year old patient in whom the manifestations of a nephrotic syndrome appeared while the patient was taking trimethadione ("tridione"). Certain features of the patient's course and condition seemed to differ from the clinical picture of nephrosis resulting from poisoning or occurring spontaneously from unknown causes. The nephrosis occurred during the administration of the drug, disappeared after the withdrawal of the drug, recurred when the medicine was exhibited again and again disappeared after withdrawal of the medicine. Moreover, the patient at the height of her nephrotic state showed intense proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, hypercholesterolemia and yet practically normal renal function. The authors found it probable that there was a causal relationship between the treatment with trimethadione and the appearance of the nephrosis. Nevertheless, they state that "final evaluation of the relation of tridione to the nephrotic syndrome must await