Pattern of renal disease in children.

In 1992 a total of 1298 patients with renal diseases were seen in the medical outpatients department. Eight hundred and forty-seven (65.2%) had urinary tract infection and 265 (20.5%) had nephrotic syndrome. Two hundred and twenty patients required inpatient care, which constituted 3.3% of total number of patients admitted to medical wards. Sixty-four (29%) of admitted patients with renal disease had nephrotic syndrome, 29 (13.1%) had acute renal failure due to various causes including haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The average stay was 5.8 days per patient and mean bed occupancy was 3.4 beds per day. Various renal diseases in children together form an important group of disorders often requiring long term care and this should be taken into account when planning provision of child health services particularly at tertiary care level.