interstitial nephritis
primary or secondary disease of the renal interstitial tissue. Causes include arterial, arteriolar, glomerular, or tubular disease that destroys individual nephrons; toxic involvement of interstitial cells and tubules by systemic diseases such as gout (gouty nephropathy); drug exposure such as overuse of phenacetin (analgesic nephropathy); and mercury poisoning. Clinically, it may be manifested by loss of concentrating capacity, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, acidosis, non-nephrotic proteinuria, and abnormal urine sediment. See acute interstitial n. and chronic interstitial n.
Medical dictionary.
2011.