Acute renal failure as the initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in children.

In two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, acute renal failure was the initial manifestation. The diagnosis was eventually established on the basis of serologic tests and characteristic renal histopathologic findings. We emphasize the need to consider systemic lupus erythematosus as a cause of acute renal failure of glomerular origin, because appropriate therapy may alter the outcome of the disease.