| Summary: | Background: The acute renal failure (ARF) contributes to a longer hospital stay, morbidity, mortality and use of resources in critical patients.
The estimate of its incidence was difficult, mainly due to the lack of a generally accepted definition.
Objective: To determine the incidence, risk factors and effects of the ARF in critical patients.
Material and methods: Study of prospective cohort. Patients hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were included. The population was divided into 4 groups: A: without ARF; B: with ARF at ICU admission; C: ARF developed at the ICU; and D: ARF at the admission, solved and developed again at the ICU. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Student's t, χ2 and ANOVA).
Results: Of 360 patients, 50.5% were men. The mean age was 49 years. From the total, 145 (40.3%) did not develop ARF (group A). The main comorbidities were diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. Patients with sepsis, shock and multiple organ failure showed a greater ARF frequency (p < 0.001). The ARF incidences were 30.3% in group B, 20.3% in group C and 9.2% in group D. The attributable mortality was 11.8%, 16.6% and 26.1%, respectively. There was a higher use of resources in groups C and D.
Conclusions: The ARF incidence in critical patients ranges from 9.2% to 30.3%. The main risk factors are sepsis, shock and MODS.
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