The clinical features, laboratory evaluation, and outcome were analyzed in 23 patients with acute renal failure (ARF) and drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis (21 proven with biopsy). The groups of drugs implicated were: antibiotics (20 cases), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (2 cases), and other drugs (phenobarbitone, 1 case). The clinical and laboratory signs of the disease appeared 3 to 28 days after exposure to the drug. Fever, skin rash, and flank tenderness were the most common clinical features observed (87%); and hematuria (100%), sterile pyuria (83%), and eosinophilia (39%) were established by laboratory tests. Hemodialysis (HD) was performed in 7 patients. Complete normalization of kidney function was observed in 3 patients; improvement to basal level in 3 patients (this group had preexisting renal disease); and CRF, requiring HD, in 1 patient. Renal function improved in all patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency regardless of the therapy involved. Statistical evaluation could not confirm any significant differences between status of renal function at presentation, treatment (corticosteroids versus symptomatic and supportive measures only), and outcome of drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). In summary, ARF due to drug-induced AIN has a favorable course with good prognosis regardless of the use or nonuse of corticosteroids in management strategy.

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The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical course and outcome of acute renal failure (ARF) in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). From 1983 to 1995, we treated 33 patients (27 males, 6 females) aged from 16 to 71 years. Half of patients were connected with work at a farm or in a forest. The disease was confirmed serologically with indirect immunofluorescence test (IFT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In 18 patients percutaneous kidney needle biopsies were analyzed. In 85% of the cases, the disease broke out from June to October. The most frequently expressed clinical signs and symptoms were fever, nausea/vomiting, headache, backache, abdominal pain, myalgia, diarrhea, conjunctival injection, and hemorrhages. Four patients had concomitant pancreatitis. In 25 patients, oliguria was present, and transient hemodialysis treatment was needed in 19 patients. Infection with Hantaan virus was established in 20 patients and with Puumala virus in 13 patients. At renal biopsy, acute interstitial nephritis accompanied with hemorrhages and necrosis was found, and at a later biopsy there were also signs of interstitial fibrosis. All patients were cured, but renal function was not completely recovered in some. We conclude that ARF is a serious complication in patients with HFRS. Although not lethal in our group of patients, many of them showed severe signs and symptoms of illness. Transient hemodialysis was necessary in two-thirds of the patients. Some degree of functional defects and morphological changes might persist.

The situation of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in central and eastern Europe was very poor for many years during the so called socialistic era. Economical and political liberation resulted in the significant growth of renal replacement facilities in this region. The number of hemodialysis units increased significantly (56%) during the period 1990-1996, and the number of patients treated with this modality has risen by 75%. More dramatic progress was achieved in peritoneal dialysis. The number of units performing this method of renal replacement therapy (RRT) increased by 277% and the number of patients by more than 300%. Not only quantitative but also qualitative changes were observed. More modern hemodialysis machines installed in the vast majority of units allow for the performance of bicarbonate dialysis, controlled ultrafiltration, and sodium profile modeling. Also, a wider choice of biocompatible dialyzers has become available during the last few years. The number of centers performing renal transplantation has increased significantly, but the number of renal transplants has not followed this progress. Despite all the progress, further development of all RRT methods is necessary to achieve acceptance rates comparable to those observed in developed countries.