Acute renal failure in sickle-cell disease

Two patients with reversible acute oligoanuric renal failure in the setting of sickle-cell crisis are presented. The renal failure could not be attributed to volume depletion, urinary tract obstruction, or exogenous nephrotoxins. There were several features in each case that suggested the presence of nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis. The possible role of pigmenturia in the pathogenesis of the reversible renal failure in sickle-cell crisis is discussed.