Neonatal Acute Renal Failure: Predisposing Factors and Their Outcome. Experience From a Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the predisposing factors and outcome of ARF in hospitalized newborn infants. Place and Duration: Federal Government Polyclinic Post Graduate Medical Institute Islamabad from Jan 2014 to June 2016. Materials and Methods: In a descriptive cross sectional study One thousand nine hundred and forty nine neonates were admitted in neonatal intensive care unit. Results: There were 30 cases with diagnosed ARF out of 1949 hospitalized neonates (1.54%). The male to female ratio in patients with ARF was (1:1.6). Most of involved patients were term (96.6%). Out of 30 cases 14 (46.6%)were low birth weight. The prevalence of renal and pre renal failure was (27.6%) and (72.4%) respectively. The predisposing factors for ARF in our study were NNS (65.5%), gastroenteritis (10.3%), Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (6.7%), Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (6.9%), feeding problem (3.4%), congenital anomaly (3.4%) and diabetes insipidus (3.4%). Among admitted neonates with ARF mortality rate was (3.4 %). Conclusion: High level of suspicion on part of physician, early recognition of risk factors and prompt therapy will reduce the incidence of ARF in neonates.