Clinical and pathological characteristics of diquat poisoning-related acute kidney injury

Objectives Diquat has replaced paraquat in agricultural areas as a herbicide but has led to extensive poisoning. Unlike paraquat, which targets the lungs, diquat primarily targets the kidneys. Autopsies and animal experiments suggest that interstitial kidney damage is the most critical renal lesion. Diquat is a nonselective chemical widely used for terrestrial and aquatic plants after the ban on paraquat. Although diquat is known to affect the kidneys mainly, no study has reported renal biopsy in patients with diquat poisoning.Methods We investigated the histopathologic feature in a young man with diquat poisoning who developed acute kidney injury by renal biopsy.Results Autopsy and animal experiments suggest that interstitial kidney inflammation is the most critical renal lesion. Surprisingly, our results showed that lipid degeneration and acute tubular injury with limited interstitial inflammation were the dominant histologic findings in this patient.Conclusions Based on a renal biopsy, this was the first study describing the characteristics of the kidney affected by diquat poisoning. Our findings might provide information for managing patients who develop AKI due to diquat poisoning.