Acute renal failure in infants, children and adults

A Retrospective Study of Acute Renal Failure in Children: Its Incidence, Etiology, Complications and Prognosis

BACKGROUND

Acute renal failure (ARF) developed due to various causes and may lead to significant morbidity and mortality among pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVES

The study was conducted to determine the incidence, etiology, outcome of treatment and clinical presentation of ARF in pediatric patients in Somalia.

METHODS

Comprehensive case history of 39 pediatric patients below 12 years of age, admitted with renal diseases in four tertiary care hospitals in Hargeisa and Borama cities in Somalia during December 2015 to November 2016. They were subjected to clinical investigation and laboratory test analysis based on the inclusion criteria of renal insufficiency characterized by serum creatinine level more than 1.5 mg/dl.

RESULTS

ARF was most commonly found in five to 12 years age group (53.8%) compared to infant (zero to one year) and pre-school (one to five years) children (23.08%). Mean age of presentation was 6.14 years. Male female ratio in this study was 1.2: 1. Most common presenting clinical feature in our study was oliguria (97.43%), swelling (69.2%), fever (84.1%), abdomen pain and nausea-vomiting (41.02%). Common clinical signs were edema (66.66%), altered sensorium (51.28%), hematuria (48.71%) and hypertension (38.46%). Snake bite and acute post streptococcal glomerulonephritis were the two most common causes of ARF in children in our study. Common complications were hypertension (38.46%), anemia (35.89%), hyperkalemia (25.64%) and infection (20.51%), all of which were within the previously reported range. The factors which correlated positively with increased mortality and morbidity were females with age below one year , etiology like septicemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), high peak serum creatinine concentration and complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

CONCLUSION

Many causes of ARF are preventable and it should be possible to reduce mortality and morbidity due to ARF through purposive preventive measure and availability of the better medical facility.

Dialysis and pediatric acute kidney injury: choice of renal support modality

Dialytic intervention for infants and children with acute kidney injury (AKI) can take many forms. Whether patients are treated by intermittent hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy depends on specific patient characteristics. Modality choice is also determined by a variety of factors, including provider preference, available institutional resources, dialytic goals and the specific advantages or disadvantages of each modality. Our approach to AKI has benefited from the derivation and generally accepted defining criteria put forth by the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative (ADQI) group. These are known as the risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage renal disease (RIFLE) criteria. A modified pediatrics RIFLE (pRIFLE) criteria has recently been validated. Common defining criteria will allow comparative investigation into therapeutic benefits of different dialytic interventions. While this is an extremely important development in our approach to AKI, several fundamental questions remain. Of these, arguably, the most important are "When and what type of dialytic modality should be used in the treatment of pediatric AKI?" This review will provide an overview of the limited data with the aim of providing objective guidelines regarding modality choice for pediatric AKI. Comparisons in terms of cost, availability, safety and target group will be reviewed.

Risk factors of acute renal failure in critically ill children: A prospective descriptive epidemiological study

OBJECTIVE

Acute renal failure is a serious condition in critically ill patients, but little literature is available on acute renal failure in critically ill children. The aim of the study was to determine incidence rate, identify risk factors, and describe the clinical outcome of acute renal failure in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

DESIGN

Prospective, descriptive study.

SETTING

A tertiary PICU.

PATIENTS

Patients were 1,047 consecutively admitted children over a 1-yr period.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Acute renal failure was defined as doubling of baseline serum creatinine. A comparison between patients with acute renal failure and without acute renal failure was carried out, and the risk factors playing a significant role in the manifestation of acute renal failure were analyzed. There were 985 cases included in the study, with the incidence rate of acute renal failure in PICU being 4.5%. The most common PICU admission diagnoses in acute renal failure cases were hemolytic uremic syndrome (18.2%), oncologic pathologies (18.2%), and cardiac surgery (11.4%). Significant risk factors for acute renal failure following multivariate analysis were thrombocytopenia (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.5, 16.2), age >12 yrs (odds ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.9, 13), hypoxemia (odds ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.3, 8.0), hypotension (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.2, 7.5), and coagulopathy (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3, 5.6). The mortality rate was estimated to be higher in patients with acute renal failure compared with patients without acute renal failure (29.6% vs. 2.3%, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although not frequent in the PICU, acute renal failure is associated with a significant increase in mortality. The risk factors of acute renal failure are multiple and are often present before PICU admission. A multiple-center study is planned with the intention to confirm these results.

3-5 year longitudinal follow-up of pediatric patients after acute renal failure

Few data exist regarding the long-term sequelae of acute renal failure (ARF), and these studies are limited to a few renal conditions. We aim to assess the 3-5-year survival and incidence of renal injury in children who previously developed ARF of varying causes. We queried parents, physicians, and hospital/state vital statistics records to find patient survival in 174 children who previously had ARF and survived to hospital discharge. We assessed the following in 29 children for residual renal injury: (a) microalbuminuria, (b) glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by Schwartz formula, (c) hypertension, and (d) hematuria. The 3-5-year survival of children with ARF who survived to hospital discharge was 139/174 (79.9%). Most deaths (24/35 (68.5%)) occurred within 12 months after initial hospitalization. Combining those who died during initial hospitalization and in subsequent 3-5 years, the overall survival rate was 139/245 (56.8%). In all, 16 children progressed to end-stage renal disease; thus, renal survival was 127/173 (91%). Those with primary renal/urologic conditions had lower renal survival than others (24/35 (68.6%) vs 134/139 (96.4%); P<0.0001). Among the 29 patients assessed for long-term sequelae at 3-5 years, 17/29 (59%) subjects had at least one sign of renal injury; microalbuminuria (n=9), hyperfiltration (n=9), decreased GFR (n=4), and hypertension (n=6). A pediatric nephrologist was involved in care of only 6/17 (35%) with chronic renal injury. Patients have high risks of ongoing residual renal injury and death after ARF; therefore, periodic evaluation after the initial insult is necessary.

Pediatric ARF epidemiology at a tertiary care center from 1999 to 2001

BACKGROUND

Previous epidemiological data for pediatric patients with acute renal failure (ARF) predate current intensive care unit (ICU) technology and practice, and do not reflect newer disease therapies for bone marrow, hepatic, and cardiac transplantation and congenital heart disease surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 254 ARF episodes in 248 children discharged from a tertiary referral center, Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX), between January 1998 and June 2001 to update current pediatric ARF epidemiological characteristics.

RESULTS

The most common causes of ARF were renal ischemia (21%), nephrotoxic medications (16%), and sepsis (11%). Primary renal diseases accounted for only 17 cases (7%), and hemolytic uremic syndrome accounted for only 3 cases. Overall ARF survival for the entire cohort was 176 of 254 patients (70%), whereas 110 of 185 patients (60%) requiring ICU admission and 43 of 77 patients (56%) receiving renal replacement therapy survived.

CONCLUSION

These current pediatric ARF data show that pediatric ARF epidemiological characteristics have changed from primary renal disease to renal involvement secondary to other systemic illness. Longitudinal data from this cohort are underway to determine the long-term sequelae of pediatric ARF.

Retrospective analysis on Chinese patients diagnosed with acute renal failure hospitalized during the last decade (1994-2003)

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the epidemiology, diagnosis and prognosis of acute renal failure (ARF) in hospitalized Chinese during the last decade.

METHODS

The diagnosis of patients with ARF in Peking University Third Hospital from January 1994 to December 2003 was reconfirmed and the data of epidemiology, etiology and prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTS

Only 209 discharged cases were diagnosed with ARF and all were reconfirmed. Two peak occurrences were found at ages of 35-45 and 60-80 with a male predominance of approximately 59.7%. Patients diagnosed with ARF accounted for 1.19 per thousand of the admissions in the same period and increased significantly in the last 5 years (p = 0.038). The creatinine level at diagnosis was 345.8 +/- 122.6 micromol/l and had no significant change (p > 0.05). The percent of hospital-acquired ARF (HA-ARF) demonstrated a significant increase in 1999-2003 compared to 1994-1998 (p = 0.008). Intrarenal ARF accounted for 73.69% and was multifactorial, with drugs, infections and operations as leading causes. Renal biopsy was performed in 37.32% (78/209) with 53.84% (42/78) having acute interstitial nephritis. Maintenance dialysis was discontinued in 46.41% because their renal function completely or partially recovered. The overall mortality was 37.91% without improvement over time. The mortality was 6.25% for patients in nephrology department, but 65.51% in ICU (p < 0.001), and was 21.6% for patients in community-acquired ARF (CA-ARF), but 63.1% in HA-ARF (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

During the past 10 years, the number of patients diagnosed with ARF has been rising in hospitalized Chinese. HA-ARF was the major source, and infections, drugs and operations were the leading causes. The diagnosis and prognosis of acute renal failure did not improve much in this population over the decade studied.

Clinical and laboratory diagnosis of acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) is defined in general terms as an abrupt decrease in renal function sufficient enough to result in retention of nitrogenous waste and disrupt fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. There is no consensus regarding a quantifiable definition of ARF. Prompt evaluation of ARF is vital because ARF can be the end result of diverse processes which can often be reversed or attenuated through therapy directed at the underlying condition. Evaluation begins with careful review of the patient's history, previous medical records, physical examination, urinalysis, and available laboratory data. Routine urine chemical indices, calculation of the fractional excretion of sodium, and examination of the urine sediment are valuable in characterizing the cause of ARF. When this evaluation fails to yield a diagnosis, further testing may be required to evaluate intravascular volume status or diagnose a systemic disorder or glomerular cause of ARF. Response to therapeutic trials may provide a diagnosis. When a diagnosis cannot be made with reasonable certainty through this evaluation renal biopsy should be considered.

Management of acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) is defined as an abrupt decline in the renal regulation of water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. It continues to be an important factor contributing to the morbidity and mortality of critically ill infants and children. The frequency of specific diseases that result in ARF differs among different age-groups and geographical areas. The common causes in Indian children include hemolytic uremic syndrome, acute tubular necrosis, glomerulonephritis and urinary tract obstruction. Though the hallmark of renal failure is oliguria, there is increasing recognition of non-oliguric ARF often associated with the use of nephrotoxic drugs. The basic principles of management are avoidance of life-threatening complications, maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and nutritional support. Specific management of the underlying disorder is possible only in a minority of cases. All the major dialysis modalities--peritoneal dialysis (PD), hemodialysis (HD) and continuous hemofiltration--can be used to provide equivalent solute clearance and ultrafiltration. Peritoneal dialysis requires minimal equipment and infrastructure, and is easy to perform; this makes it the favoured modality in developing countries where resources for HD or continuous therapies may not be accessible. However, continuous hemofiltration is an excellent alternative to PD in patients with ARF and severe fluid overload. The prognosis of children with renal failure depends on the underlying condition and associated medical complications.