Solvents and the kidney.

The final facts, necessary to establish a certain association between light to moderate organic solvent exposure and kidney disease, have not yet been presented. The methodologic difficulties and flaws from which most of the studies suffer contribute to this situation. On the other hand the results certainly do not exclude the possibility of such an association. The mechanisms behind HC causing renal disease are obscure. A direct toxic effect does not seem probable considering the frequent exposure to HC in modern society and the fairly low incidence of this disease. The possibility of the solvents initiating, mediating or in some other way taking part in immunologic reactions appears more attractive. The general impression after reviewing the presented investigations is, that the possibility of a causal association between moderate hydrocarbon exposure and renal disease must be considered substantial. The indications are strong enough to state that individuals with signs of renal dysfunction or manifest renal disease should not be exposed to organic solvents.