Acute kidney injury associated with consumption of starfruit juice: A case report

BACKGROUND: This study aims to highlight the potential serious complications of acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting from the consumption of excessive amounts of starfruit, a common traditional remedy. CASE SUMMARY: A 78-year-old male with a past medical history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia without prior nephropathy presented to the emergency department (ED) with hiccups, nausea, vomiting and generalized weakness. In the preceding 1 wk, he had consumed 3 bottles of concentrated juice self-prepared from 1 kg of small sour starfruits. His serum creatinine was noted to be 1101 μmol/L from baseline normal prior to his ED visit. He was diagnosed with AKI secondary to excessive starfruit consumption. CONCLUSION: Consumption of starfruit can cause acute renal failure, with a good outcome when promptly identified and treated.