title: [Acute renal failure in hantavirus infections].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The acute renal failure remains a diagnostic challenge for the clinician.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1991 and 1996, acute renal failure caused by hantavirus infection was diagnosed in 4 previously healthy male patients. Main symptoms consisted of fever, headache, arthralgia, lumbar and abdominal pain as well as a decline in diuresis. The ultrasonography showed a slight splenomegaly in 2 patients. The clinical chemistry showed elevated serum creatinine from 2.2 mg/dl to 6.7 mg/dl and thrombocytopenia from 4000 to 150,000/microliter. The examination of the urine showed slight proteinuria and microhematuria. The kidney biopsy of 1 patient showed a reversible damage of the tubuli. The pathologic findings normalized within 3 weeks in 3 patients without need for dialysis. One patient developed a severe clinical course with acute renal failure and pulmonary edema requiring dialysis. In all patients, the renal function improved.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Nephrologie und Rheumatologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ivens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pilaski
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grabensee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heering
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018063:Hantaan virus; D006480:Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged