ABSTRACT
Renal insufficiency results from loss of functioning nephrons, but there is remarkable renal reserve. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can fall by over 50% before nitrogenous waste products (urea and creatinine) accumulate and is reduced to 25% before symptoms and signs of renal failure occur. The incidence of chronic renal failure in the UK is 2-3 children per million population per year.
