Clinical Analysis of Acute Intrinsic Renal Failure in Neonates and Children

Kwon, Eunji; Jung, Ji Mi; Yeung, Chung Woo

Abstract

PURPOSE
The present study is an investigation of the progression and prognosis of acute intrinsic renal failure in neonates and children with a diagnosis of acute renal failure or other diseases on admission.
METHODS
This research is based on a retrospective analysis conducted on 59 patients(male: female=2.2:1) diagnosed with acute intrinsic renal failure between January 2000 and June 2006 at Busan Paik Hospital. The clinical diagnostic criteria of acute renal failure used was serum creatinine <1.2 mg/dL, oliguria with urine output< or =0.5 mL/kg/hr and anuria with urine output <50 mL per day.
RESULTS
Among those placed under investigation, 7 patients were neonates, 10 patients were 2 months-2 years old, 12 patients were 3-6 years old, 21 patients were 7-12 years old and 9 patients were 13-16 years old. It took 3.1+/-2.8 days on average until the diagnosis was made. The urine output distribution was 21 persons for the oliguria group, and 36 persons for the non-oliguria group, and 2 persons for the anuria group. For the underlying causes, 30 persons were classified in the primary renal disease group, 14 persons in the infection group, 9 persons in the malignancy group, and 6 persons were categorized in another group. As for age distribution, the infected group was predominantly neonates, whereas the dominant age ranges for the primary renal disease and infection categories were 2 months to 2 years old. Also, the primary renal disease was dominant among older children, aged 3 and up. No difference was detected according to seasonal prevalence. However, there was a high morbidity rate among hemolytic uremic syndrome diagnosed in the summer. Peritoneal dialysis was used to treat 4 patients. It took 10.0+/-6.7 days until the patients improved. 18 patients died. The non-oliguria group's mortality rate was lower than other groups. There was a high mortality rate in the neonates and malignancy group.
CONCLUSIONS
Acute renal failure in childhood seems to take a better clinical course than in adulthood when there is an early diagnosis and proper treatment of underlying diseases.