Acute renal failure in patients with acute leukemia.

Acute renal failure may be a contributory cause of death in patients with acute leukemia. The purpose of this study was to define the causes and course of acute renal failure in group of patients with acute leukemia in order to identify preventive measures and reversible aspects of the renal insufficiency. Among 88 patients with acute leukemia whose courses were followed to the time of death, ten developed acute renal failure. Etiologic factors of the renal failure were uric acid nephropathy, sepsis with complicating hypotension and hypovolemia, and the administration of nephrotoxic antibiotics. In one patient ureteral obstruction from clots was responsible for renal failure, while in another patient disseminated aspergillosis led to renal failure. Other causes of acute renal failure in persons with acute leukemia, but not observed in this patient group, are hypercalcemia and leukemic infiltration of the kidneys.