An epidemiological approach to acute renal failure in children.

The records of 630 pediatric patients with acute renal failure were analysed. Of all patients admitted to the hospital during the same period, 5 per cent had acute renal failure. Newborns and infants constituted 79 per cent of the patients with ARF although this age group comprised only 44 per cent of the general pediatric patients. Acute gastroenteritis and septicaemia were the leading causes of ARF up to 8 years of age. Acute glomerulonephritis took the first place after 8 years of age. Mortality rate of our patients with acute renal failure was 28 per cent.