Hyperuricaemic acute renal failure after epileptic seizures

Seven patients admitted to hospital during or immediately after status epilepticus or recurrent episodes of grand-mal seizures had very high concentrations of uric acid in their blood at a time when the blood-urea was normal in five of them. The blood-lactic-acid was high in the five patients in whom it was measured. All of the patients developed reversible renal failure, and two required haemodialysis. The blood-uric-acid should be measured in patients who have had prolonged seizures, and the measures which might be taken in hyperuricaemic patients to prevent the development of acute renal failure include rehydration, alkalinisation of urine, and, where alkalinisation is impossible, haemodialysis.