Abstract:
:In a search for simple and reliable measurements to evaluate the
common clinical dilemma of acute oliguric renal failure, 35 patients admitted to
the University Medical Unit, Colombo, were prospectively studied. A table of
indices formulated from blood and urinary; urea creatinine and sodium were used,
based on similar studies done previously-i.e. a) Anderson et. al, New England
Journal of Medicine 1977. b) Sporn, Lancestremere and Papper, New England
Journal of Medicine 1962. c) Jones and weil, The American Journal of Medicine,
1971. d) Handa and Morin, Canad Med Assn J, 1967. These values were used to
distinguish prerenal from established acute renal failure, and the clinical were
compared with the biochemical findings. The objective of this study was to help
diagnose early, potentially reversible conditions to prevent permanent structural
damage to the kidneys. Except in three patients the indices compared well with the
clinical findings. The two most useful values in decision making were, the
fractional Excresion of Sodium (FEna) and the Renal Failure Index (RFI). We
concluded that these simple tests in the absence of osmometry were very useful in
delineating the pathogenesis of this common medical emergency.
