History and admission findings: A 29-year-old man was admitted because of recurrent episodes of vomiting.
Diagnosis: The admission diagnosis was acute anuric renal failure. Ultrasound was unremarkable and there had been no history of renal disease. The serum creatinine concentration was 5.48 mg/dl. The urinary findings were normal. The final diagnosis was therefore of prerenal failure with dehydration. Cyclical vomiting syndrome was the working diagnosis, having excluded other possible causes.
Treatment: Normal renal functions were re-established with rehydration treatment.
Conclusion: Cyclical vomiting syndrome is an illness characterized by recurrent bouts of vomiting, often associated with migraine but of uncertain etiology. Therapeutic options include anti-emetics and anti-migraine medication.