Chronic renal failure in children

To determine the clinical presentation and find out the underlying cause of chronic renal failure (CRF). This is a descriptive prospective study of patients attending children hospital, Chandka Medical College Larkana and National Institute of Child Health (Paediatric Nephrology Unit) Karachi from January 1993 to December 1996. Seventy eight confirmed cases of chronic renal failure (CRF) were included in the study. Out of them 51 were male and 27 females (M:F ratio 1.8:1). Most of the children (90%) presented after 3 years of age. Common clinical presentation were anaemia (93.5%) cases, growth retardation (74.3% cases), urinary complaints (65.3%) cases and hypertension (53.8%) cases. Common causes leading to CRF were reflux nephropathy (24.5%), posterior uretheral valves (23%), chronic glomerulonephritis (15.4%) and urolithiasis (14%). Early diagnosis and management of most common causes of CRF may prevent and delay the progression to end stage renal disease (ESRD).