ABSTRACT
Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common clinical syndrome defined as a rapid deterioration of renal function associated with accumulation of nitrogenous waste products and disturbances of extracellular volume, electrolyte, and acid-base homeostasis.1-3 ARF complicates approximately 5% of hospital admissions and up to 30% of admissions to intensive care units (ICUs). ARF is usually asymptomatic and diagnosed when routine biochemical screening of hospitalized patients reveals a recent increase in the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels. Critically ill patients with ARF are generally sicker, characterized by greater hemodynamic instability, longer length of ICU stay, and higher ICU and hospital mortality than patients without ARF. In a recent study, ICU and hospital mortality was almost fourfold higher in patients who developed ARF.4 It is important to recognize that ARF can be prevented in many settings if predisposing conditions are recognized and promptly treated.
