The Quarterly journal of medicine
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The survival from acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy was studied in 90 critically-ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Mean age (+/- SD) was 51 +/- 14.6 (range 17 to 81) years. Mechanical ventilation was required in 88 patients and 71 patients received total parenteral nutrition. ⋯ Pre-existing organ insufficiency or immunosuppression meriting a CHE score of 5 was associated with a very poor survival (1 of 30 patients). APACHE II score is a reliable indicator of severity of illness and likelihood of survival in critically-ill patients with acute renal failure. The widespread adoption of APACHE II scoring for patients with acute renal failure requiring intensive care would facilitate medical audit and comparison of studies from various centres.