Acute oxalate nephropathy due to yellow rice wine: a case report

Acute oxalate nephropathy is a rare but potentially underrecognized cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). The reports of secondary oxalate nephropathy induced by high doses of vitamin C, portulaca oleracea, Peanut were described, but the cause as yellow wine consumption are rare. We report a 63-year-old man with acute kidney injury due to yellow rice wine. The patient has drunk yellow rice wine 500 mL/day for the past 10 years. He underwent an ultrasound-guided renal biopsy, which showed acute tubular injury and birefringent crystals were observed in the renal tubules under a polarizing microscope. The 24-hour urinary oxalate excretion established and the baseline serum creatinine of 407 µmol/L. Following 3 months therapy, subsequent laboratory evaluation demonstrated significant reduction in urinary oxalate excretion excretion and serum creatinine normal.

Acute secondary oxalate nephropathy due to excessive dietary intake of oxalate may lead to AKI. Kidney biopsies in unknown cause AKI patients is important and attention should be payed to food behaviors when reasons for AKI are explored.