Management of acute renal failure.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is defined as an abrupt decline in the renal regulation of water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. It continues to be an important factor contributing to the morbidity and mortality of critically ill infants and children. The frequency of specific diseases that result in ARF differs among different age-groups and geographical areas. The common causes in Indian children include hemolytic uremic syndrome, acute tubular necrosis, glomerulonephritis and urinary tract obstruction. Though the hallmark of renal failure is oliguria, there is increasing recognition of non-oliguric ARF often associated with the use of nephrotoxic drugs. The basic principles of management are avoidance of life-threatening complications, maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and nutritional support. Specific management of the underlying disorder is possible only in a minority of cases. All the major dialysis modalities--peritoneal dialysis (PD), hemodialysis (HD) and continuous hemofiltration--can be used to provide equivalent solute clearance and ultrafiltration. Peritoneal dialysis requires minimal equipment and infrastructure, and is easy to perform; this makes it the favoured modality in developing countries where resources for HD or continuous therapies may not be accessible. However, continuous hemofiltration is an excellent alternative to PD in patients with ARF and severe fluid overload. The prognosis of children with renal failure depends on the underlying condition and associated medical complications.