ACUTE RENAL FAILURE - CHANGING TRENDS.

A prospective study of 120 patients of acute renal failure was done at CH (EC) Calcutta to document the changing trends in the incidence and etiology of acute renal failure and to assess the prognostic factors. Mean age of patients was 33.7 ± 20.2 years. 75% had a medical risk factor. The etiological factors were volume depletion (13.3%), septicaemia (25.6%), falciparum malaria (16.6%), a transplant related renal failure (5.7%) and drugs (16.7%). Renal histology showed acute tubular necrosis to be the most common lesion (53.3%). In 13.3% patients who died with acute renal failure, associated infection and multisystem involvement was more common.