Epidemiology of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients: experience from southern Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Despite advances in health care, morbidity and mortality associated with acute renal failure [ARF] remain high. This study determined the frequency and etiology of ARF in hospitalized patients in Saudi Arabia over 2 years. Of the 150 cases of ARF, 38.0% were community-acquired and 62.0% hospital-acquired. The main cause was acute tubular necrosis [ATN] in 93 patients, due to sepsis [24.7%], ischaemia [12.7%], rhabdomyolysis [mainly from road traffic accidents] [10.7%], drugs [7.3%] and malaria and snake-bites [4.6%]. Overall, 40% died, 48% made a full recovery and 1 patient [0.7%] became dialysis-dependant. Factors associated with poor prognosis were age 60+ years, community-acquired ARF, peak blood urea nitrogen > 160 mg/dL, duration of ARF > 1 week, need for dialysis and associated chronic liver disease