Advanced renal failure in patients with sickle cell anemia: clinical course and prognosis.

Advanced renal failure occurred in nine adult sickle cell disease patients. There were six men and three women with a mean age of 38.6 years. Eight patients had homozygous SS disease, one had sickle cell thalassemia. Three patients had acute renal failure from which they partially recovered. Six developed endstage kidney disease requiring dialysis. Two of these received a kidney transplant, and there was one death in the immediate postoperative period. Angina pectoris, hyperkalemia, and severe anemia complicated chronic dialysis, suggesting that early transplantation should be considered for sickle cell anemia patients with renal failure.