Acute renal failure due to acute pyelonephritis

We report a case of acute renal failure due to acute pyelonephritis with microabscess formation. Despite antibiotic therapy renal function deteriorated, necessitating peritoneal dialysis. Although rare, acute pyelonephritis is an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of acute renal failure, and prompt antibiotic therapy is crucial to insure a favourable outcome.     

Acute renal failure due to pyelonephritis

Acute renal failure developed in a 3-year-old boy with acute pyelonephritis. Renal biopsy showed acute interstitial infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages. There were also glomerulitis and capillary tuft thrombosis. He required peritoneal dialysis, but subsequently recovered renal function. Prompt antimicrobial therapy is crucial to insure a favorable outcome. Pyelonephritis is an unusual cause of acute renal failure in infants and children.     

Acute renal failure in a solitary kidney due to bacterial pyelonephritis

Deterioration of renal function after acute bacterial pyelonephritis is rare. We report on 2 patients with a solitary functioning kidney in whom acute renal failure developed in the setting of acute bacterial pyelonephritis. Following antimicrobial treatment kidney function returned to baseline values. This finding suggests that patients with a solitary functioning kidney are more prone to have renal dysfunction after acute bacterial pyelonephritis.     

Acute renal failure due to HELLP syndrome and acute renal failure in mid gestation

A 34-year-old grand multipara (para 7, 4 alive) was managed at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria for acute renal failure due to HELLP syndrome following referral from a peripheral hospital. She presented with a history of vomiting, headache, epigastric pain, loss of consciousness and tonic/clonic seizures. Though she was unsure of her exact dates, clinically the gestational age was estimated at 22 weeks. She was managed in the intensive care unit, following delivery of a macerated fetus within 15 h of hospital admission. The patient received mechanical ventilation and three sessions of haemodialysis as part of her successful management while in the intensive care unit. The uncommon presentation of eclampsia and HELLP syndrome before obvious preeclampsia is discussed, as well as the other signs and symptoms and patient management. The case also highlights the resource-poor environment of peripheral and tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.     

Emphysematous pyelonephritis with acute renal failure

A 56-year-old woman with obesity and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus presented with a two-day history of abdominal fullness and vomiting. No fever, flank pain or dysuria was present. On admission, her blood urea nitrogen concentration was 74 mg per deciliter and the serum creatinine concentration was 3.5 mg per deciliter. Laboratory data revealed an elevated white blood cell count (11.72 x 10(3)/ml), blood sugar (826 mg/dl), pyuria (WBC 30-50/HPF) and negative urine ketone. A plain abdominal radiograph revealed right renal stones and localized air accumulation at the left upper abdominal area.     

Acute renal failure due to xanthine stones

A 9-month-old child with the skeletal abnormalities of Fuhrmann's syndrome presented with acute renal failure secondary to bilateral renal calculi. Hereditary xanthinuria was shown to be the underlying metabolic defect. Treatment with allopurinol was unsuccessful at reducing the xanthine excretion.     

Acute renal failure due to falciparum malaria

Seventy-two patients with severe falciparum malaria are described. Twenty-four (33.3%) were complicated by acute renal failure. Comparing patients with renal failure and those without, statistically significant differences occurred regarding presence of cerebral malaria (83% vs 46%), jaundice (92% vs 33%), and death (54% vs 17%). A significantly higher number of patients with renal failure were nonimmune visitors to malaria endemic regions. Renal failure was oliguric in 45% of cases. Dialysis was indicated in 38%, 29% died in early renal failure, and 33% recovered spontaneously. It is concluded that falciparum malaria is frequently complicated by cerebral malaria and renal failure. As nonimmune individuals are prone to develop serious complications, malaria prophylaxis and vigorous treatment of cases is mandatory.     

Acute renal failure due to mannitol intoxication

A case of mannitol-induced renal failure is described and previously reported cases are reviewed. Possible mechanisms of the etiology are discussed.     

Acute renal failure due to McArdle's disease

A 37-year-old previously fit man developed acute renal failure associated with rhabdomyolysis following a brief period of strenuous exercise. Subsequent muscle biopsy and ischaemic arm exercise confirmed the diagnosis of McArdle's disease. This case illustrates that McArdle's disease can present with acute renal failure in the absence of a past history of exercise-induced muscle pain and stiffness.     

Acute renal failure due to crush syndrome

Summary The clinical and pathological aspects in 23 cases of acute renal failure (ARF) due to crush-compression are presented. The chief findings are oliguria or anuria, usually occurring within 48 hours of trauma, and severe uremia, hyperkalemia and elevation of muscle enzymes. The mortality in this series was 30,4%, most commonly due to infectious complications. Treatment principles are aggressive debridement, early dialysis and, when clinically indicated by lack of response to these measures, amputation of the crushed extremity.     

Acute pyelonephritis causing acute renal allograft dysfunction

In renal transplant recipients, acute pyelonephritis may cause acute deterioration of renal function. We report a case with acute allograft failure due to acute pyelonephritis, which was confirmed by graft biopsy. After appropriate antimicrobial therapy, allograft function recovered.     

Acute renal failure due to severe Landry-Guillain-Barre syndrome

Background: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) >60 mg/dl has been reported to occur commonly in patient's with severe Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome. Aims: To find out the cause for this high BUN we compared the renal function tests of 30 consecutive cases with severe Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome to those of 30 controls. Results: Acute renal failure occurred in seven patients with Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome and one of the control group. Acute renal failure was found more in cases with Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome compared to controls (P=0.0049). Six out of seven cases with Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute renal failure had dysautonomia and became oliguric while being in a hypotensive state. Of 30 patients with Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome seven cases died. From eight patients with dysautonomia six cases who had acute renal failure died. The mortality rate was higher in cases with dysautonomia and acute renal failure (P=0.0001 and 0.00001, respectively). Interestingly no glomerular disease was found. Conclusion: In conclusion acute renal failure can occur commonly in cases with severe Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome particularly in those with dysautonomia, causing high mortality.     

Acute renal failure due to malignant lymphoma infiltration

We present two cases of renal lymphoma revealed by acute renal failure (ARF), which remains a rare clinical entity. Case 1 was a 29-year-old man with an ARF. The diagnosis was a primitive kidney immunophenotype B lymphoma. The patient died after three courses of chemotherapy due to rapid spread lymphoma. The second case was a high-grade renal lymphomatous infiltration, with an unusual computer tomography image of two large kidneys compressing the stomach. Death happened early before initiating therapy. In both cases the diagnosis has been established by renal pathology. Early diagnosis is a key component of therapeutic success, however, the rapid spread of lymphoma worsened renal and vital prognosis.     

Acute renal failure caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae pyelonephritis.

We report a 34-year-old male patient without prior medical history who presented with acute renal failure due to acute bacterial pyelonephritis. Both blood and urine cultures grew Klebsiella pneumoniae. Although a kidney biopsy revealed extensive necrosis and no viable glomeruli, renal function recovered to near normal after intermittent hemodialysis and antibiotic therapy. We believe that it is important to include this entity in the differential diagnosis of acute renal failure since proper diagnosis and treatment is essential for recovery of renal function. Furthermore, we would like to draw attention to Klebsiella pneumoniae as an important potential pathogen in such cases, in addition to Escherichia coli.     

Transient acute renal failure due to nitrofurantoin poisoning

A 3-year-old girl developed acute oliguric renal failure after accidental ingestion of nitrofurantoin (190 mg/kg body weight). The time interval between poisoning and the onset of renal failure was 9 days. She later recovered with symptomatic management. Received: 4 September 1998 / Revised: 11 February 1999 / Accepted: 15 February 1999