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Acute renal failure

Prevalence
Causes
Clinical features
Investigations
Therapy
Prevention
Prognosis
Investigations
  • urine sodium c
  • urine chloride c
  • urine creatinine c
  • urine osmolality   c
Note: these indices are only valid predictors if:
  • no previous diuretics
  • previously normal renal function

Why?

A low urine sodium makes pre-renal failure more likely

Patient Target Disorder and
Reference Standard
Diagnostic Test LR+
(95% CI)
Post-test Probability
acute renal failure c
(pre-test probability: 24%)
pre-renal failure
(response to pre-renal therapy)
urine sodium < 10 mmol/l 3.5
(1.6 to 7.4)
53%
    10-20 mmol/l 1.4
(0.56 to 3.6)
21%
    > 20 mmol/l 0.41
(0.20 to 0.82)
12%
 

A low urine chloride makes pre-renal failure more likely

Patient Target Disorder and
Reference Standard
Diagnostic Test LR+
(95% CI)
Post-test Probability
acute renal failure c
(pre-test probability: 31%)
pre-renal failure
(response to pre-renal therapy)
urine chloride < 10 mmol/l infinity
(6.9 to infinity)
100%
    10-20 mmol/l 3.6
(1.3 to 9.7)
62%
    > 20 mmol/l 0.21
(0.088 to 0.52)
9%

Expiry date: July 2003
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Authors   C   Clase , CM   Ball
Reviewer   S   Hsu
CAT Writers   C   Clase , CM   Ball