Acute renal failure associated with liver disease in India: etiology and outcome

Acute renal failure (ARF) associated with liver disease is a commonly encountered clinical problem of varied etiology and high mortality. We have prospectively analyzed patients with liver disease and ARF to determine the etiology, clinical spectrum, prognosis and factors affecting the outcome. Other than hepatorenal syndrome patients, out of 221 cases, 66 developed ARF secondary to various liver disease like cirrhosis (n = 29, mortality 8, risk factors-older age p < 0.01, grade III/IV encephalopathy p < 0.05), fulminant hepatic failure (n = 25, mortality 15, risk factor-prolonged prothrombin time p < 0.01), and obstructive jaundice (n = 12, mortality 7, risk factor-sepsis p < 0.01). In these three groups the factors leading to ARF were volume depletion (24), gastrointestinal bleed (28), sepsis (34), drugs (27) [aminoglycosides (9) and NSAID (18)] along with hyperbilirubinemia. Various types of ARF with contemporaneous liver injury were malaria (n = 37, mortality 15, risk factors-higher bilirubin p < 0.001, higher creatinine p < 0.05, anuria p < 0.05 and dialysis dependency p < 0.05), sepsis (n = 36, mortality 22, risk factors-age p < 0.001, higher bilirubin p < 0.01, oliguria p < 0.05), hypovolemia with ischemic hepatic injury (n = 14, mortality 5, risk factors-higher creatinine p < 0.05 and SGPT p < 0.01), acute pancreatitis (n = 12, mortality 4, risk factors-higher bilirubin p < 0.001, higher SGPT p < 0.01, dialysis dependency p < 0.05), rifampicin toxicity (n = 10, no mortality), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (n = 3, no mortality), CuSO4 poisoning (n = 3 mortality 2), post abortal (n = 11, mortality 6, risk factors higher creatinine p < 0.05 and SGPT p < 0.01), ARF following delivery including HELLP syndrome (n = 12, mortality 4, risk factors-higher bilirubin p < 0.01 and SGPT p < 0.01), and of uncertain etiology (n= 14 mortality 4). 133 patients (60.2%), required hemodialysis hemodialfiltration or peritoneal dialysis. ARF associated with liver disease is having high mortality (42.5%). Avoidance of dehydration, hypotension, nephrotoxic drugs and sepsis, with promote dialytic support are necessary to reduce mortality and morbidity.