Features of recovery from acute renal failure post-septic abortion and long-term prognosis

Ten patients with acute renal failure post-septic abortion were studied. Two groups of patients are described in terms of duration of oliguria, number of dialysis per patient and maximal concentration of BUN during the acute episode of tubular necrosis. Despite different oliguric periods, when the patients reached 500 ml of urine volume in 24 hours, the recovery of diuresis was similar in both groups as well as the decrease of BUN concentration at the end of the hemodialysis period. Functional studies were carried out, up to an average of 10.5 years after the acute episode. Mean values for inulin and para-aminohippurate clearances were 107 +/- 11.53 and 534.6 +/- 62.9 ml/min./1.73 m2 in nonoliguric patients or those with a short period of oliguria. These values are not significantly different from the mean values of Wesson for normal women. On the other hand, reductions in both clearances were present in most patients who had a long period of oliguria (GFR: 84.9 +/- 4.2 and RPF: 418.1 +/- 33.1). These results demonstrate that the duration of oliguria at the time acute renal failure occurred is the most important factor influencing the rate and extent of long-term recovery of renal function.