Acute renal failure in Kuala Lumpur.

In the medical group, acute glomerulonephritis (17), septicaemia (11), poisoning (6), and haemolysis (6) were the main causes. The poisons were paraquat (4), organophosphate (1) and hair perming lotion (1). All patients with haemolysis had G-6PD deficiency. Acute renal failure in 6 cases were unexplained. The pattern of acute renal failure varies, even in countries in the tropics (Ku et al, 1975; Sitprija & Benyajati 1975; Chugh, 1979) with ready availability of dialysis, uraemia can be controlled, making prognosis of the renal failure more favourable. However the complications of the underlying disease causing the acute renal failure continues to carry significantly high mortality, particularly among the surgical and trauma groups (Ku et al, 1975; Maher & Schreiner, 1962; Kennedy et al, 1973). This report reviews our experience in Kuala Lumpur. SUMMARY