Chronic renal failure in children in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

This study includes 100 children [male to female ratio, 6535] with chronic renal failure referred to our renal unit from different parts of the Kingdom over a period of three years. Their ages ranged from 1 to 13 years with a median age of 4 years. Malformations of the urinary tract were the most common cause of chronic renal failure [N=34] followed by heredofamilial disorders [N=18], renal hypoplasia/dysplasia [N=17], glomerulopathies [N=14], and miscellaneous disease [N=5]. No diagnosis could be made in 12 patients because of late referral. Of the 40 patients treated for terminal renal failure, 22 are on maintenance dialysis, 13 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, rand nine on hemodialysis; nine patients have undergone transplantations, seven died, and two were discharged home on conservative treatment