Chronic Kidney Disease as a Result of Secondary Oxalate Nephropathy From Excess Dietary Intake of Peanut Butter and Coffee

Excess production or absorption of oxalate can lead to hyperoxaluria and subsequent kidney injury. While many etiologies of hyperoxaluria have been well studied, diet-induced secondary oxalate nephropathy is a rare cause of renal damage that is still poorly understood. In this report, we present a 71-year-old man who lacked any known risk factors for secondary oxalate nephropathy other than a diet that was unusually high in peanut butter and coffee. The patient developed severe acute kidney injury, which resulted in end-stage renal disease and dependence on hemodialysis. Renal biopsy showed oxalate crystal buildup to be the culprit. It is likely that these cases of diet-induced secondary oxalate nephropathy have a strong genetic component that is yet to be fully understood. As the general public is likely unaware of the significance of dietary oxalate, we believe it is important to quickly identify and educate patients that have relevant risk factors to prevent development of acute or chronic kidney disease. World J Nephrol Urol. 2020;9(1):25-28 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/wjnu399