[Short and long term prognosis of acute renal failure requiring dialysis. An analysis of 419 consecutive patients]

To describe the relationship between morbidity, mortality, and year of admission we studied 419 patients with acute dialysis-requiring renal failure. Effects of various follow-up periods and stratification on main prognostic factors were evaluated. There was a significantly higher (p < 0.001) number of organ failures/patient during the second six-year period compared with the first six-year period. Early (day 90) mortality was 46% and unchanged during the period. Estimated five year survival rate (95% confidence limits) was 52% (44-60) in patients with a medical etiology, and 28% (20-36) in patients with a surgical etiology. Prognosis was dependent on the severity and progression of the underlying disease process. Changed censoring time and stratification were important tools for enhancing the yield of information from the study. Time(s) and method(s) of risk scoring, stratification(s) of patients, time(s) of censorship, and method of statistical analysis should be identical when comparing results of treatment for acute renal failure from different centres.