[Epidemiology of acute renal failure]

The acute renal failure is common in the hospitalized patients with the incidence is increasing. This results from the aging of the population and the widespread use of nephrotoxic therapies or diagnostic techniques. The acute renal failure is associated with an increased length of stay in hospital and the short and long-term mortality. The most common histological injury is the acute tubular necrosis. Although the most of acute renal failure is recovering, recent works have shown that there is a strong association between an acute renal failure and the increased risk of developing a chronic kidney disease.