Factors affecting prognosis in acute renal failure following cardiac operations

Twenty-five patients with acute renal failure following cardiac operations using cardiopulmonary bypass were analyzed retrospectively to identify predictors of survival or mortality. Age and the number of postoperative medical complications served as predictors of mortality, p less than 0.05. A low survival rate occurred if the patient was in the seventh decade of life. Nonsurvivors had a higher number of postoperative medical complications. However, only cardiac failure and bacteremia occurred in a significantly greater proportion of those patients who died, p less than 0.05. The presence of non-oliguric renal failure was associated with a 100 per cent survival rate, p less than 0.05. The mortality of these 25 patients was 28 per cent, which is lower than that generally reported. Although an extremely serious postoperative complication, acute renal failure following cardiac operations does not imply a hopeless prognosis. A vigorous therapeutic effort is warranted.