URODILATIN (INN: ULARITIDE) AS A NEW DRUG FOR THE THERAPY OF ACUTE RENAL FAILURE FOLLOWING CARDIAC SURGERY

SUMMARY 1. Acute renal failure is a severe complication following major cardiac surgery. 2. The effects of urodilatin were evaluated in a randomized, double‐blind trial in patients suffering from incipient acute renal failure following cardiac surgery. 3. In the urodilatin group (n= 7) acute renal failure was reverted, whereas in the placebo group (n= 7) six patients had to be haemofiltered or haemodialysed (P < 0.005). 4. Urodilatin induced a rapid onset of diuresis in contrast to placebo‐treated patients, who remained oliguric. 5. In the placebo group four of seven patients died while still on haemodialysis (mortality rate 57.1 %) during a postoperative follow‐up period of 60 days, while all patients treated with urodilatin survived. 6. On the basis of these results it would appear that urodilatin is an effective drug for the treatment of incipient oliguric acute renal failure following cardiac surgery and for avoiding haemodialysis/haemoflltration.