Introduction: This study reports the largest series of acute renal failure following collective poisoning by Cortinarius orellanus since 1957.
Patients: Twelve men, in whom altered renal function appeared following ingestion of mushroom soup (Cortinarius orellanus) when they were 20 to 23 year-old, were followed up for 13 years.
Results: After a period of latency of between 2 to 5 days, the patients complained of asthenia, intense thirst and digestive and neurological disorders. On admission, 4 were anuretic and two exhibited polyuria. Leukocyturia was detected in all patients but without proteinuria. Renal biopsy was performed on day 14 in seven patients. It revealed severe tubulo-interstitial lesions with polymorphous cell infiltration, oedema, loose fibrosis and epithelial necrosis. Eight patients required haemodialysis. Nine patients received corticosteroids for less than 6 months. Over a follow-up period of 13 years, seven patients recovered normal renal function, four underwent transplantation and one was still under haemodialysis and died, victim of a car accident.
Conclusion: The incidence of acute renal failure varies from 30 to 46%. It depends on individual sensitivity, pre-existing nephropathy and the cumulated dose of toxin ingested. Early and severe interstitial fibrosis, marked interstitial oedema and tubular epithelial necrosis are the most characteristics renal lesions. Renal failure regresses progressively over several months in 60% of cases. In the other patients, terminal renal failure appears immediately or after several years. The evolution is not influenced by corticosteroid therapy.