title: Audit of the outcome of patients with renal failure presenting to a regional nephrology service.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the outcome of patients with renal failure presenting to a regional nephrology unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of patients with plasma creatinine concentration > or = 0.30 mmol/L who presented between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 1993, or were already under follow up, were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The outcome of 491 patients (293 males) aged from 4.8 to 88.8 years, 123 of whom had acute renal failure, was assessed at 30 June 1994. Thirty seven (30%) of the patients with acute renal failure had died. Of the 372 patients with chronic renal failure 139 had started regular dialysis treatment and 95 were dead, including 27 patients, with a mean age of 71 years, who died of untreated end-stage renal failure (ESRF). For 11 (40%) of these patients the patient and/or family made the decision not to start dialysis treatment. The rates of treatment of ESRF are lower in Canterbury and Westland than those in the Auckland region. The latter can be explained partly by the differences in the demography of the respective populations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Death from untreated ESRF is uncommon in Canterbury and Westland. The rates of treatment of ESRF with regular dialysis are lower than in the Auckland region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Christchurch Hospital.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Inkster
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Buttimore
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Robson
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine