Objectives: Many end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients get their first nephrologic care under critical clinical conditions and without previous diagnosis of chronic renal failure (CRF), a situation even worse than the late referral of CRF patients for nephrologic treatment. Data on these "nonreferred" patients are scarce. The objectives of this study were to assess clinical and laboratory features, the reasons for coming to the hospital and the factors associated with death in nonreferred ESRD patients first seen by a nephrologist in an emergency situation.
Methods: Retrospective study (April 1996-March 2000) using the medical records of patients diagnosed with ESRD at the nephrologic emergency visit in a university tertiary hospital. Clinical and laboratory parameters were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to hospital outcome: survivors or nonsurvivors.
Results: There were 414 patients (12% of all nephrologic emergency visits), aged 49 +/- 17 years, 266 males (64%) and 208 (55%) hypertensive. Mortality rate was 13.7% (54/393). When compared to nonsurvivors were older, used mechanical ventilation and vasoactive drugs more frequently, presented higher infection rate, and showed lower plasma creatinine. Multivariate logistic regression showed as factors independently associated with death: first nephrologic visit at intensive care unit, infection as cause for seeking medical care, and increasing age. Plasma creatinine above 10 mg/dL was a protective factor for death.
Conclusions: ESRD patients reaching dialysis in a nephrologic emergency situation presented high hospital mortality, which was mostly associated with their poor clinical condition at admission.