Kinetics of carbamylated haemoglobin in acute renal failure.

BACKGROUND: Carbamylation of proteins by isocyanic acid, the reactive form of cyanate derived from urea, is increased in uraemia and may contribute to uraemic toxicity. Kinetics of carbamylation that may reflect uraemic toxicity is not clearly defined in acute renal failure (ARF). METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with ARF and 13 with chronic renal failure (CRF) were included in the study in order to determine changes in carbamylated haemoglobin concentration (CarHb) in ARF. The usefulness of this parameter for differentiating ARF from CRF was also investigated. CarHb was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography after acid hydrolysis. RESULTS: Mean CarHb level (expressed as microg carbamyl valine per gram (CV/g) Hb) was significantly higher in ARF (54.3+/-5.2) than in normal subjects (31.6+/-1.3). On admission, CarHb level was correlated with duration of ARF prior to hospitalization in the intensive care unit (r(2)=0.723, P<0.001). CarHb was significantly higher at recovery in the subgroup of patients requiring haemodialysis than in the subgroup not requiring haemodialysis (82. 4+/-11.3 vs 46.7+/-5.2, P<0.01). Similarly dialysis patients lost more weight (8.6+/-1.4 vs 2.7+/-0.5 kg, P<0.005) and had higher averaged blood urea levels in the 20 days prior to recovery (17. 6+/-1.9 vs 11.3+/-1.8 mol/l, P<0.05). After recovery, CarHb level decreased at a rate of 0.219 microg CV/g Hb per day in patients with reversible renal insufficiency. CarHb concentration was higher in patients with CRF. A cut-off CarHb value of 100 microg CV/g Hb had a sensitivity of 94% and a positive predictive value of 94% for differentiating ARF from CRF. CONCLUSIONS: Kinetics of CarHb showed a near normal red blood cell life span in ARF. Changes in CarHb enabled, with a good sensitivity, the distinction to be made between patients who recovered from ARF and those with sustained renal impairment, whether due to prior CRF or resulting from parenchymal sequelae. Measurement of CarHb is valuable at clinical presentation of ARF in patients with an unknown medical history of renal disease.     

影响急性肾功能衰竭患者住院病死率与肾脏预后的危险因素分析

目的：探讨影响急性肾功能衰竭（ARF）住院患者病死率与肾脏预后的危险因素,以提高ARF的治疗水平。方法：通过对我院近10年422例ARF患者临床资料的回顾性研究,应用二值多元Logistic回归和线性回归分析对影响ARF患者病死率与肾脏预后的危险因素进行分析。结果：在32项观察因素中发现低血压、昏迷、消化道出血、呼吸衰竭、肝衰竭、心力衰竭、肿瘤、败血症是患者病死率相关的危险因素;肿瘤、呼吸衰竭、心力衰竭为影响肾功能恢复的危险因素。结论：上述危险因素是影响ARF患者病死率、导致肾功能难以恢复的原因,并与患者的近期预后密切相关。     

Acute renal failure in patients with pre-existing renal dysfunction following coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND: Pre-existing renal dysfunction predisposes to acute renal failure (ARF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. We assessed the incidence and impact of the development of ARF in this patient population in our unit. METHODS: One-hundred and six patients had a preoperative serum creatinine of >or=0.13 mmol/L and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in the year 2000. The incidence of ARF (as defined by a >or=50% rise in postoperative serum creatinine), hospitalization days, dialysis requirement, in-hospital and 1-year mortality, and potential risk factors for ARF were recorded. RESULTS: Of the patients recorded, 43/104 (41.35%) developed ARF following coronary artery bypass grafting. Patients with ARF stayed in hospital longer (P < 0.02). Ten out of forty-three patients required some form of dialysis and the in-hospital mortality of the renal failure group was 23% compared to 3.1% in the other group (P < 0.002). One year postoperatively, the group with renal failure had significantly worse survival (71.8% vs 98%P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: For patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, pre-existing renal dysfunction predisposes to the development of ARF, this is associated with prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality.     

Acute renal failure prior to the onset of hepatic encephalopathy in fulminant hepatitis

Summary: We investigated the clinical characteristics of eight patients with fulminant hepatitis who developed acute renal failure (ARF). They were divided into two groups according to the time point when ARF occurred in the course of the disease: (i) group 1 ( n =4), ARF occurred prior to the onset of hepatic encephalopathy; and (ii) group 2 ( n =4), ARF occurred after the onset of hepatic encephalopathy. All cases in group 1 had an acute type of fulminant hepatitis, whereas a subacute type was present in the patients in group 2. All cases in group 1 and two cases in group 2 were given non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs before the onset of ARF. Urinary findings and/or renal biopsy findings suggested that acute tubular necrosis was the cause of ARF in group 1. Three patients in group 1 and none in group 2 recovered from both ARF and fulminant hepatitis. Although it is well-known that a patient with fulminant hepatic failure complicated by ARF has a poor prognosis, our findings suggest that ARF that occurs prior to the onset of hepatic encephalopathy in acute type of viral fulminant hepatitis is not a determinant of the poor prognosis, and that the prognosis will be improved by intensive care.     

慢性肾脏病基础上的急性肾功能衰竭

目的 了解慢性肾脏病基础上急性肾功能衰竭(A／C)的发病情况及临床和病理特点。方法 对我科12年间(1990年1月至2001年1月)经肾活检证实的此种病例进行原因、与基础肾脏病关系、预后影响因素及转归的分析。结果 104例符合选择标准,占急性肾功能衰竭(ARF)病例数的35．5％。慢性肾脏病发生ARF的常见原因为药物引起的急性间质性或间质肾小管病变,狼疮肾炎(LN)活动以及肾病综合征伴特发性ARF。104例患者中,共有39例ARF与药物相关。关于基础肾脏病,ARF原因为病变活动的患者以LN为主,特发性ARF者以微小病变性肾病(MCD)为主,而ARF原因为恶性高血压的患者则以IgA肾病与硬化性肾小球肾炎多见。在104例患者中,有2例死亡;39例需要血液透析治疗,治疗后有23例脱离透析。出院时,48例患者血肌酐恢复到正常水平。多元Logistic回归分析提示,高血压、接受透析治疗、高血肌酐水平预示肾功能不易恢复。在有明确院外诊断的21例患者中,有15例被诊为“慢性肾功能衰竭”,占71．4％。结论 慢性肾脏病基础上发生的ARF并不少见。警惕药物引起的肾损害(尤其对于老年人)、控制结缔组织病的活动以及积极控制血压和维持循环血量对于预防肾脏病患者发生ARF十分重要。经过适当治疗后,大部分患者的肾功能有所改善。因此,早期正确的诊断和治疗对A／C的预后有重要的意义。     

Urinary enzymes in acute renal failure

Intestinal-type alkaline phosphatase (IAP) has been localizedto the S3 segment of the renal tubule in previous studies, asite believed to be particularly vulnerable to toxic and ischaemicdamage. During a 17-month period a pilot study of the valueof urinary enzyme measurements (IAP and tissue non-specificalkaline phosphatase—TNAP, using monoclonal antibody-basedimmunoassays, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase—NAG, usingcolorometric assay) in 50 prospectively followed cases of acuterenal failure (ARF) was performed. Urinary enzymes were measuredat initial evaluation (‘start’), and then each dayfor 14 days, with the highest enzyme value (‘peak’)also used for analysis. Patients were divided into prerenal(n=16), renal (n=28), postrenal (n=6) categories according tostandard criteria. Of the renal ARF patients 23 of 28 had acutetubular necrosis (ATN), 3 of 28 acute interstitial nephritis(AIN), and 2 of 28 acute glomerulonephritis (AGN); 18 of 50had a fatal outcome and 1 of 50 was dialysis-dependent at discharge(‘poor’ prognosis group), while 31 of 50 survivedhospital without becoming dialysis-dependent (‘good’prognosis group). Median enzyme concentration were increased in ‘poor’compared to ‘good’ prognosis patients: start IAP3.2 versus 2.2 U/g creat (NS), start NAG 48.6 versus 13.7 (P<0.01),start TNAP 3.5 versus 0.9 (P<0.02). When renal ARF patientsalone were analysed, only IAP (3.2 versus 1.3 U/g creat at start)and NAG (57.9 versus 7.8 U/g creat at start) were significantlyincreased in the poor compared to the good prognosis group.Peak values showed similar trends. Of all patients, five witha start IAP>12 U/g creat died, and all survivors had a startIAP<12, but 14 of 19 poor prognosis patients also had a startIAP<12. All urinary enzymes were less in the postrenal group,but only the IAP significantly so. None of the enzymes weresignificantly different between prerenal and renal ARF groups. Urinary enzymes IAP, NAG, TNAP appear to be unhelpful in determiningthe site of renal injury in ARF, except for postrenal cases,where IAP was significantly lower. There were too few patientswith AGN or AIN to test the hypothesis that the enzymes wouldbe less in glomerular compared to tubular pathologies. Despitea low sensitivity, the start IAP may be a marker of outcomein ARF if the high positive predictive value for death is confirmedin larger studies.     

Acute reversible renal failure with macroscopic haematuria in IgA nephropathy

Macroscopic haematuria is common in IgA nephropathy, but itssignificance and influence on prognosis remains uncertain. Wecompared the clinical and pathological features of 11 adultpatients with primary IgA nephropathy who had had a renal biopsyduring or shortly after a bleeding episode. Six patients developedtransient acute renal failure (ARF) (group 1) and five did not(group 2). Patients of group 1 had a higher percentage of tubularred-blood-cell (RBC) casts (P<0.05) and of glomerular crescents(P<0.001). However, crescents were focal and involved lessthan 50% of glomeruli. Acute tubular necrosis was only presentin patients of group 1, and ARF was attributed to the acutetubular changes rather than to the glomerular lesions. Despitea prolonged duration of ARF (mean: 38 days), further outcomedid not differ in patients of both groups. We suggest that acutetubular damage and/or tubular obstruction by RBC casts shouldbe considered in any patient who develops ARF soon after a haematuricepisode.     

肝移植术后急性肾功能衰竭的预防和治疗

目的总结肝移植术后急性肾功能衰竭的预防和治疗经验。方法回顾性分析63例原位肝移植术后早期发生急性肾功能衰竭患者的临床资料,探讨其发病的危险因素及治疗方法。结果63例患者中,12例术前已存在不同程度的肾功能损害,28例有严重的腹水及进行性高胆红素血症。术后发生肺部感染28例,多器官功能衰竭26例,腹腔内积液、积脓9例。所有患者肝移植术后均采用环孢素A、霉酚酸酯或他克莫司预防排斥反应。23例患者应用多巴胺(2-5μg·kg-1·min-1)等血管活性药物改善肾脏灌注,并酌情配合利尿药物的使用,同时给予白蛋白、新鲜血浆输注、营养支持及抗感染治疗。12例病情较重者给予持续性肾脏替代治疗(CRRT),平均治疗时间50 h。术后1个月时,有26例患者死亡,死亡率为41．27％。结论肝移植术前应重视对肾功能的评估并及时处理,术后尽量避免感染。免疫抑制剂的个体化应用,改善肾脏灌注,可提高肝移植术后急性肾功能衰竭治疗的成功率。     

A retrospective 5-year study in Moldova of acute renal failure due to leptospirosis: 58 cases and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Renal involvement [as acute renal failure (ARF)] is a prominent feature of both mild and severe leptospirosis-a re-emerging infectious disease. Few large series describe in detail clinical and laboratory features of cases with ARF and their outcome. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis (1997-2001) of all consecutive, serological confirmed leptospirosis cases with ARF (n=58, 53 male, age 44+/-13 years, rural residents=31%, animal contact=88%. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations (>50% prevalence): oliguria 95%, fever and jaundice 93%, nausea and vomiting 83%, haemorrhagic diathesis 80%, headache, hepatomegaly 76%, myalgias, abdominal pain 70%, hypotension 62%, disturbed consciousness 50%. A pattern of multiple organ failure (MOF) was frequent: ARF together with hepatic failure in 72%, respiratory failure in 38%, circulatory failure in 33%, pancreatitis in 25% and rhabdomyolysis in 5% of cases. Renal dysfunction: 35% of cases had a renal K(+)-wasting defect and 43% a FE(Na)(+)>1% and low-osmolarity urine despite volume depletion. Haematuria was encountered in 12 and mild proteinuria in 10 subjects. Outcome: 26% deaths, 64% normal hepatic and renal function at 90 days from presentation (however 29% maintained the initial tubular defect), 10% persistent mild renal failure. All deceased patients had, beside ARF, at least two other organ failures, affected consciousness, and haemorrhagic diathesis vs a prevalence for the above features of only 34, 33, and 72%, respectively, in the survivors group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Leptospirosis presenting with ARF is a severe disease, frequently leading to MOF and to death in one-third of the patients. In particular, the haemorrhagic diathesis and cerebral involvement are markers for unfavourable patient and renal outcomes.     

Risks of acute renal failure after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in children: a retrospective 10-year case-control study

To our knowledge there are no case-control studies that haveexamined the main risk factors for acute renal failure (ARF)following cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in children. We thereforeevaluated the potential risk factors in a large retrospectivecase-control study. Sixty-one of 2262 children (2.7%) developedpostcardiopulmonary bypass surgery ARF requiring peritonealdialysis (PD) from 1982 to 1991. Fifty-eight of 61 cases (medianage 8.5 months) were selected by systematic sampling and matchedwith 176 controls who did not develop ARF. The four matchingvariables were age, cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrestduration, and year of operation. Mortality rate was 79% in cases (controls: 18%). Forty-threeof 48 of the deceased cases did not recover renal function;no renal cause of death was found; 13 of 61 cases survived andrecovered renal function. Multiple regression analysis showedthe following significant risk factors for postcardiopulmonarybypass surgery ARF: central venous hypertension >12 h (oddsratio (OR) 9.6); systolic arterial hypotension >12 h (OR8.9); dopamine dosage >15 µg/kg/min (OR 3.0); adrenaline(OR 5.9) and isoproterenol (OR 13.5) use. High preoperativeserum creatinine, cyanosis, and vasodilator use were not significantrisk factors. We conclude that: (1) haemodynamic alterations were the maincause of postcardiopulmonary bypass surgery ARF; (2) ARF wasassociated with but was not the cause of the high mortalityrate; (3) the risk of ARF increased almost 10-fold after 12h of central venous hypertension and/or of systolic arterialhypotension; (4) effective dosages of inotropes might have beena risk factor for ARF; (5) a slight precardiopulmonary bypasssurgery reduction of renal function alone did not representan increased risk for ARF.     

Acute renal failure due to intrinsic renal diseases: review of 1122 cases

In this study we have analyzed incidence, causes and clinical course of ARF due to primary intrarenal disease other than acute tubular necrosis. Thousand hundred and twenty two cases of ARF of diverse etiology were studied over a period of 16 years; July 1984 to Dec, 1999. Surgical ARF 231 (20.6%) were not included in the present study. Intrinsic renal diseases were responsible for ARF in 891 (79.4%) of cases. The most common intrinsic renal diseases 705 (79.4%) causing ARF were ischemic/toxic acute tubular necrosis, but not included in this study. Acute renal failure was related to acute glomerulonephritis (9.3%), acute interstitial nephritis (7%), and renal cortical necrosis in (4.6%) of cases. Therefore intrinsic renal diseases other than ATN were the causative factor for acute renal failure in 186 (20.8%) patients in our study. Crescentic (51.8%) and endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis (34.9%), were the main glomerular diseases responsible for ARF and 75.9% of GN was related to infectious etiology. Fifty three percent of acute interstitial nephritis was drug induced and in 25 (40%) patients it was related to an infectious etiology. Renal cortical necrosis due to HUS was observed in 16 (39%) children and majority (76.47%) of the cases had a diarrhoeal prodrome. Obstetrical complications were the main causes (61%) of cortical necrosis in adults with acute renal failure. Thus, intrinsic renal diseases other than ATN were responsible for ARF in 186 (20.8%) cases. Post-infectious glomerulonephritis, acute interstitial nephritis and renal cortical necrosis (complicating HUS in children and obstetrical complications in adult) are the main causes of acute renal failure in our study. Both acute GN and interstitial nephritis had excellent prognosis, however renal cortical necrosis was associated with a very high mortality.     

Mortality in Elderly Patients with Acute Renal Failure

In a retrospective study, we identified 55 elderly patients with acute renal failure (ARF) admitted to our hospital during an 8-year period from 1985 to 1993. Information about the etiology, complications, laboratory data, and treatment course were obtained from the clinical history. Of the 200 patients with ARF admitted to the hospital during this period, 28% were patients more than 60 years old (41 male and 14 female) with an average age of 68.5 ± 7 years. The main causes of ARF were sepsis, volume depletion, low cardiac output, arterial hypotension, nephrotoxicity by antibiotics, and obstructive uropathy. The global mortality of elderly patients with ARF was 53%. The mortality rate of the different types of the ARF were: prerenal 35%, intrinsic 64% (oliguric 76%, nonoliguric 50%), and postrenal 40%. Mortality as a result of sepsis occurred in 18 patients (62%), by cardiovascular disease in 4 patients (13%), by acute respiratory failure in 2 patients (7%), and by other causes in 5 patients (18%). In the cases of sepsis, Pseudomonas was detected in 7 cases (39%), Escherichia coli in 2 cases (11%), Gram-negative nonspecific in 3 cases (17%), Klebsiella in 1 case (5%), and in 5 cases (16%), the hemoculture was negative. The patient survival rate was 47% (26 of 55 patients). Of these patients, 19 recovered their normal renal function (73%), but 7 patients remained with renal failure (27%). In conclusion, the global mortality in the elderly patients without considering the types of ARF was 53%. The oliguric form had the highest mortality rate with 76%. The main causes for mortality were sepsis with 62%, cardiovascular disease with 13%, and other causes 18%.     

Acute renal failure following poisonous snakebite

This study describes acute renal failure (ARF) following snakebite in humans and the effects of viperide venoms on the renal structure and function in subhuman primates. ARF developed in 45 of 157 patients with a history of snakebite admitted to the hospitals of the Postgraduate Medical Institute, Chandigarh, India. They were studied clinically, hematologically, and in 35 cases, for renal histopathology. All 45 were treated with antibiotics, and 8 received anti-snake venom. Ten cases had bilateral renal cortical necrosis (BRCN), eight of whom died; less severe acute tubular lesions (ATL) occurred in 23 patients, four of whom died (P less than .001). Sepsis was significantly more common with BRCN than ATL (P less than .05). No statistical difference was found between these groups in bleeding incidence, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), hemolysis, or hypotension. Monkeys given lethal doses of viperide venom developed hypotensive shock, DIC, and hemolysis, with significantly reduced serum complement, and died within 24 hours. However, no renal functional changes or lesions were found. Monkeys given sublethal doses of viperide venom showed a significant increase in serum creatinine levels after 48 hours, and renal lesions were observed in a majority of animals. In conclusion, ARF in snakebite victims appears to be multifactorial in origin. Although hypotension, hemolysis, and DIC are likely to be important pathogenetic factors, a direct cytotoxic effect of the venom on the kidney in producing ARF cannot be excluded.     

Evaluation of sE-Selectin and sICAM-1 as Parameters for Renal Function

Introduction. In order to monitor acute renal failure, intensive care patients were examined, and routine as well as specialized parameters were compared. Materials and Methods. Thirty-three patients at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were examined daily over the entire period for which they stayed in the ICU. The patients were retrospectively classified as being either with or without acute renal failure. Group 1 consisted of 22 patients who resided in the ICU for 11–15 (median 14) days without ARF. Group 2 consisted of 11 patients who developed an ARF during their stay of 13–18 (median 16) days in the ICU. In addition to the routine parameters of diuresis, serum creatinine/urea, and clearance of creatinine, specialized parameters for kidney function, including the excretion rates of α1-microglobulin, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, and total protein, were compared with the excretion rate of soluble ICAM-1 and sE-Selectin. Results. Diuresis, serum creatinine, urea, and enzyme elimination were pathological among patients with ARF. Already on the day of admission, raised elimination rates of sICAM-1 were found in the urine of patients who had developed an ARF. While high values were still shown upon discharge, levels kept falling among patients without ARF. Clearly raised values were also shown for sE-Selectin compared to patients without ARF. Conclusions. sICAM-1 and sE-Selectin as supplementary parameters indicating renal function revealed early signs of kidney damage. These parameters may play a major role in the development of novel therapeutic approaches for ARF (antibodies against ICAM-1 or sE-Selectin).     

Acute renal failure and hyperkalaemia associated with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: The renal effects of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been incompletely elucidated, and acute renal failure (ARF) due to COX-2 inhibitors has been reported. METHODS: In order to determine the causes of ARF and hyperkalaemia in five patients during COX-2 inhibitor therapy, we carefully analysed case studies of consecutive in-patients or out-patients referred to our Renal Division over a 6-month period for ARF and hyperkalaemia who had recently received COX-2 inhibitors. RESULTS: ARF developed 2-3 weeks after COX-2 inhibitor therapy in five patients. The ARF was consistent with pre-renal azotaemia from renal hypoperfusion. Four patients were receiving the loop diuretic, furosemide. Four patients developed hyperkalaemia and decreased serum bicarbonate despite diuretic therapy, and one patient had changes in plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels consistent with reversible hyporeninaemic hypoaldosteronism. Renal failure was reversible after discontinuation of diuretics and COX-2 inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 inhibitors may cause reversible ARF and hyperkalaemia in patients with oedematous conditions treated with low sodium diets and loop diuretics.     

Acute renal failure in severely burned patients

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a well known complication of severe burns and is an important factor leading to an increase in mortality. In order to analyze possible pathogenetic and prognostic factors associated with ARF in burned patients we reviewed in a retrospective study the files of 328 patients with burns > 10% body surface area (BSA), admitted to our burn unit between 01.01.94 and 01.05.98. We found 48 patients with acute renal failure corresponding with an incidence of 14.6%. Patients with ARF had a mean burned surface area of 48% (13-95) and an abbreviated burn severity index score (ABSI) of 9.8 (4-15). Thirty eight (79%) of these patients had an inhalation injury diagnosed. Renal insufficiency was divided in a late and an early form depending on its time of onset and we found 15 (31%) patients with ARF occurring within the first 5 days of the hospital stay and 33 (69%) patients with ARF developing >5 days following the thermal injury. The incidence of myoglobinuria and hypotension during the resuscitation phase was significantly higher in the group with early ARF, whereas patients with late ARF presented sepsis more frequently than patients with early occurring renal failure. Accordingly, potential nephrotoxic antibiotics were administered more often in patients with late ARF. Patients with ARF were treated by continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) for a mean period of 10.5 days (1-47) and CAVH was associated with a complication rate of 10%. Most of the complications were associated with the vascular access in the femoral artery. The mortality rate in patients with ARF was 85% and death was due to multiple organ failure in 83% of the cases. Only burned BSA and inhalation injury proved to be significantly correlated with the development of ARF, whereas age, third degree burn or electric injury were not significantly different between the two groups. Neither age, TBSA, day of onset of ARF nor duration of the renal replacement therapy proved to be significantly different comparing survivors with non-survivors, and thus predictive for the survival rate.     

Acute posttraumatic renal failure: a multicenter perspective.

Acute renal failure (ARF) following trauma is rare. Historically, ARF has been associated with a high mortality rate. To investigate this entity we conducted a retrospective review of 72,757 admissions treated at nine regional trauma centers over a 5-year period. Seventy-eight patients (0.098%) developed acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis. Detailed demographic, clinical, and outcome data were collected. Patients with pre-existing medical conditions (group I) had a 70% increase in mortality over those without pre-existing conditions (p less than 0.004). Twenty-four patients (31%) developed ARF less than 6 days after injury (group II). The remainder (group III) developed late renal failure (mean time to first dialysis, 23 days). The predominant cause of death was multiple organ failure (82%). There were no differences in mortality because of multiple organ failure among the three groups of patients. Of the 33 survivors, six (18%) were discharged with renal insufficiency, three (9%) were discharged on dialysis, 23 (70%) were discharged home or to rehabilitation, and 27 (82%) had no significant evidence of renal insufficiency. Conclusion: Posttraumatic renal failure requiring hemodialysis is rare (incidence, 107 per 100,000 trauma center admissions), but the mortality rate remains high (57%). Two thirds of the cases of posttraumatic renal failure develop late and are secondary to multiple organ failure; one third of the cases of posttraumatic renal failure develop early and may result from inadequate resuscitation.     

Acute Tubular Necrosis Associated with Non-Hemorrhagic Dengue Fever: A Case Report

Dengue fever (DF) is an arthropod-born viral infection affecting humans. Dengue viruses are transmitted through the bites of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Acute renal failure (ARF) is reported in patients who are affected mainly with Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which is a severe presentation of the disease. We report the case of a 24-year-old Omani female with no past history of particular medical problems. She was referred to our hospital for the further management of acute renal failure. She had clinical features of DF without DHF. The kidney biopsy showed features of acute tubular necrosis (ATN). She had a complete recovery after 25 days and required three sessions of hemodialysis. We conclude that DF even without DHF may lead to ATN and ARF. Clinicians should be aware of this etiology. Treatment is supportive and may require dialysis. The prognosis could be favorable.     

Enteral nutrition in patients with acute renal failure

BACKGROUND: Systematic studies on safety and efficacy of enteral nutrition in patients with acute renal failure (ARF) are lacking. METHODS: We studied enteral nutrition-related complications and adequacy of nutrient administration during 2525 days of artificial nutrition in 247 consecutive patients fed exclusively by the enteral route: 65 had normal renal function, 68 had ARF not requiring renal replacement therapy, and 114 required renal replacement therapy. RESULTS: No difference was found in gastrointestinal or mechanical complications between ARF patients and patients with normal renal function, except for high gastric residual volumes, which occurred in 3.1% of patients with normal renal function, 7.3% of patients with ARF not requiring renal replacement therapy, 13.2% of patients with ARF on renal replacement therapy (P= 0.02 for trend), and for nasogastric tube obstruction: 0.0%, 5.9%, 14%, respectively (P < 0.001). Gastrointestinal complications were the most frequent cause of suboptimal delivery; the ratio of administered to prescribed daily volume was well above 90% in all the three groups. Definitive withdrawal of enteral nutrition due to complications was documented in 6.1%, 13.2%. and 14.9% of patients, respectively (P= 0.09 for trend). At regimen, mean delivered nonprotein calories were 19.8 kcal/kg (SD 4.6), 22.6 kcal/kg (8.4), 23.4 kcal/kg (6.5); protein intake was 0.92 g/kg (0.21), 0.87 g/kg (0.25), and 0.92 g/kg (0.21), the latter value being below that currently recommended for ARF patients on renal replacement therapy. Median fluid intake with enteral nutrition was 1440 mL (range 720 to 1960), 1200 (720 to 2400), and 960 (360 to 1920). CONCLUSION: Enteral nutrition is a safe and effective nutritional technique to deliver artificial nutrition in ARF patients. Parenteral amino acid supplementation may be required, especially in patients with ARF needing renal replacement therapy.     

The safety of gadolinium in patients with stage 3 and 4 renal failure.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a well-documented risk of acute renal failure (ARF) with the iodinated contrast agents, intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agents are considered non-nephrotoxic and have been widely used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, debate continues regarding the safety issue of gadolinium, especially in patients with kidney failure. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the safety of gadolinium in patients with stage 3 and 4 renal failure as well as risk factors for nephrotoxicity. METHOD: We retrospectively analysed 473 patients with chronic renal failure who underwent angiographic MRI procedures in our centre from February 1999 to March 2005 in whom gadolinium was used as the sole contrast agent at a dose of 0.2 ml/kg. Among them, 91 patients with stage 3 or 4 renal failure according to K/DOQI definition, who had available data in their files, were enrolled in the study. The ARF was defined as an increase of at least 0.5 mg/dl in serum creatinine level over baseline after using gadolinium. RESULTS: Eleven of 91 (52 males, 39 females; median age 59 years; median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 33 ml/min/1.73 m2) patients developed ARF (12.1%). The median eGFR was lower in patients with ARF than in those who did not develop ARF. The risk factors for ARF were baseline eGFR, older age, diabetic nephropathy and low baseline haemoglobin and albumin levels. Baseline eGFR and diabetic nephropathy were determined as the independent risk factors in regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: An ARF can occur after gadolinium-based contrast agents in patients with moderate to severe chronic renal failure. Risk factors for ARF after gadolinium toxicity include diabetic nephropathy and low GFR.