Etiology and outcome of acute renal failure in children in congo-brazzaville

Abstract EN

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common problem in the Congo.

This is a sixyear retrospective study aiming at analyzing the etiology and the outcome of ARF at the Brazzaville's University Hospital from 1989 through 1994.

One hundred and five cases of ARF (0.99 %), including 54 boys (51.4 %) and 51 girls (48.6 %), out of 10,512 children admitted in the department of Pediatrics have been recorded.

ARF represented 13.09 % of the causes in 802 patients with renal disorder.

The main etiologies of ARF included acute gastroenteritis with dehydration (25.7 %), nephrotic syndrome (14.7 %), sepsis (15.23 %), malaria (12.38 %), and acute glomerulonephritis (9.5 %).

Most cases were managed conservatively, while peritoneal dialysis (PD) was used in eight cases (7.62 %).

The outcome of ARF was recovery in 50.5 %, death in 37 % and chronic renal failure in 12.5 % of cases.

Preventive measures may help in reducing the high mortality rate and the need for dialysis.