[Current aspects of acute renal failure].

The retrospective review of 115 case-histories of patients with acute renal failure (ARF) seen over the last two years showed that etiologies were distributed as follows: acute tubular necrosis in 65% of cases, urinary tract obstruction in 16%, acute glomerulonephritis in 3,5%, acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) in 8% and acute microvascular nephropathy in 3,5%. The diagnostic value of renal biopsy in ARF is discussed. In spite of recent advances in the treatment of ARF, the mortality rate remains as high as 48%. This is mainly due to current etiologic circumstances, to the age of the patients and to the complications of ARF, with infectious complications being the most serious. Urea nitrogen accumulation is not a poor prognosis factor. Furosemide in high doses does not alter the prognosis but reduces the total number of dialysis indications (81% in 1970, 60% in 1980), the number of dialysis sessions per patient (1 only in 62% of patients), and the duration of the ARF episode (mean duration: 10,7 days).