Danubian endemic familial nephropathy
Overview
Danubian endemic familial nephropathy (DEFN), sometimes called Balkan endemic nephropathy,is a form of interstitial nephritis. It was first identified in the 1920s among several small, discrete communities along the Danube River and its major tributaries, in the modern countries of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.
Causes
The etiology for DEFN is currently unknown. It has recently been hypothesized that chronic exposure to dietary aristolochic acid is a major risk for DEFN. Aristolochic acid may come from Aristolochia clematitis, a plant native to the endemic region, and its seeds may comingle with wheat used for bread. This theory has recently gained further support through research by Arthur P. Grollman, cancer biologist and the director of Stony Brook University's chemical biology lab in New York, and Bojan Jelaković, an associate professor at the Zagreb University School of Medicine.
Prognosis
The 'prognosis' of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy usually refers to the likely outcome of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy. The prognosis of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy may include the duration of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy, chances of complications of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy, probable outcomes, prospects for recovery, recovery period for Danubian endemic familial nephropathy, survival rates, death rates, and other outcome possibilities in the overall prognosis of Danubian endemic familial nephropathy. Naturally, such forecast issues are by their nature unpredictable.