clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

Possible clinical features include:

• oliguria or anuria

• uraemia:
• nausea and vomiting
• anorexia

• confusion

• fluid retention:
• peripheral oedema
• increasing breathlessness - pulmonary oedema, pleural effusions

• if the patient is volume depleted then postural hypotension and dehydration may be noted

• frequently non-oliguric acute renal failure is first noticed because of symptoms of electrolyte abnormality

Other clinical features may relate to the cause of the renal failure for example:

• drug hypersensitivity - generalised rash and polyarthropathy
• rhabdomyolysis - muscle pain, for example, heroin abuse
• Goodpasture's syndrome - dyspnoea and haemoptysis
• malignant hypertension or diabetes - retinal changes
• hepatorenal failure - jaundice and stigmata of liver disease