Sold under the names Motrin, Advil, Medipren, Nuprin and others, ibuprofen is used to treat everything from fever and menstrual cramps to arthritis pain. Although adverse side effects are very rare, reports of ibuprofen causing kidney disease, particularly in at-risk patients, repeatedly surface in the scientific literature.
Acute Kidney Failure
Sudden-onset acute kidney failure can be caused by as little as a single dose of ibuprofen if the patient suffers from chronic kidney disease or lupus, or consumes a lot of alcohol. Advanced age and childhood are also are independent risk factors for acute renal failure due to ibuprofen.
The National Kidney Foundation warns that ibuprofen is not recommended for patents with decreased kidney function.
Analgesic Nephropathy
Damage to the kidney from long-term use of ibuprofen and other NSAIDs is called analgesic nephropathy. MedlinePlus notes that analgesic nephropathy occurs in approximately four out of 100,000 people, primarily from self-medication. The risk of analgesic nephropathy seems to be proportional to duration of use as the risk increases in patients who have taken six or more pills per day for more than three years.
Analgesic nephropathy can result in permanent kidney damage. Doctors try to prevent further damage and treat the symptoms of existing damage such as hypertension and urine protein.
Pre-term Babies
The February, 2010 issue of "Pediatric Nephrology" included a report on the effect of ibuprofen on the kidneys of premature babies. The study revealed that seven days of treatment with ibuprofen significantly decreased the rate which an infant's kidneys filter blood. The authors of the study urged close monitoring of the kidney function of infants receiving this drug.
References
- Medicinenet.com: Ibuprofen
- Archives of Pediatrics: Ibuprofen in childhood: evidence-based review of efficacy and safety
- MedlinePlus: Ibuprofen: pharmacology, efficacy and safety.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Analgesic nephropathy
- Pediatric Nephrology: Ibuprofen in very preterm infants impairs renal function for the first month of life.
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