Acute renal failure: outcomes and risk of chronic kidney disease.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common condition, especially among the critically ill, and confers a high mortality. The incidence of ARF is increasing. Efforts such as the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI) are being undertaken to establish a consensus definition of ARF, and to distinguish between varying degrees of acute kidney injury that might confer a different prognosis. Data are emerging to allow comparison of the epidemiology of ARF across institutions internationally. There is ongoing recognition of the important interaction between ARF and chronic kidney disease and more information regarding recovery from ARF is available. Controversy exists regarding the optimal management of ARF. Recent publications emphasize the importance of timing and dose of renal replacement therapy rather than the modality of treatment (intermittent hemodialysis vs continuous therapies). These issues are explored in this review.