Incidence of acute oligoanuric renal failure in dextran 40 treated patients with acute ischemic stroke stage III or IV.

Two hundred eleven patients with acute ischemic stroke, stage III or IV, received daily intravenous infusion of 500-1000 mL low-molecular dextran (dextran 40) over a period of 4 days. In 10 cases (4.7%) acute renal failure, associated with dextran infusion, could be observed; oligoanuria occurred after a mean time of 4 (3-6) days. The incidence of dextran-induced acute renal failure was significantly higher in patients with a preexisting reduction of glomerular filtration rate below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p < 0.005). Five of the patients (50%) with acute renal failure died within 4-12 days after the hemodilution therapy with dextran 40; this high lethality was due to nonrenal complications.