All issues > Volume 27(2); 1984

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1984;27(2):146-155. Published online February 28, 1984.

Acute Renal Failure in Children.

Chan Lak Son, Sun Hwan Chung, Yong Hoon Park, Kuhn Soo Lee, Ja Hoon Koo

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea

Abstract

A clinical study was conducted on 76 children with acute renal failure who had been admitted to the Pediatric Department of Kyungpook National University Hospital during 2.2years period from January 1981 to June 1983, and following results were obtained.Age distribution revealed 19 out of total 76 cases (25%) being infants under 1 year of age and otherwise even distribution was noted from 1 to 15 years of age. Male preponderance was noted with male to female ratio of 1.9 : 1. “Prerenal” renal failure comprised 46.1%; whereas “renal” renal failure 53.9%. In infants under 1 year of age, prerenal causes were predominated, with dehydration complicating diarrhea being the most common one. All 3 cases of “renal” renal failure in this age group were Reye’s syndrome. In children over 1 year of age, renal causes were more common (66.7%) than prerenal, and acute glomerulonephritis was the most common one (27 cases), followed by nephritis of Henoch-Schoenlein’s purpura, Reye's syndrome, hemolytic uremic syndrome, epidemic hemorrhagic fever, etc. Oliguria was noted only in 29.3% of “renal” renal failure and disappeared within 3 days in 75% of cases. Death occurred in 9 out of total 76 cases giving mortality rate of 11.8%. Mortality rate in infants under 1 year of age was 31.6%(prerenal; 18.7%, renal; 100%) ; whereas in children over 1 year of age 5.3%(prerenal; 0%, renal 15.8%). Causes of death were hypertonic dehydration with sepsis in 3 cases, Reye's syndrome in postoperative hypovolemia in 2 and septic shock in 1.

Keywords :Acute renal failure; prerenal renal failure; renal renal failure; oliguria