Piperazine side-effects in a patient with pre-existing renal insufficiency

Piperazine as an antihelminth has many adverse effects, especially on patients with renal insufficiency. We report the use of piperazine in a girl with a moderately severe kidney disease due to Biedl Bardet syndrome. She developed coma and acute kidney injury due to acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), anemia and thrombocytopenia. The presence of fever, proteinuria, acidosis, anemia, sterile pyuria and non-oliguric renal failure strongly suggested AIN. Her problems abated mostly by discontinuing of piperazine and supportive therapy, except anemia and thrombocytopenia.