The pathological basis of chronic renal failure in Nigerians. An autopsy study.

With the aim of determining the relative prevalence of the diseases underlying chronic renal failure (CRF) in a large homogeneous black tropical population, the autopsy records of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital over a four year period were studied. Out of a total of 702 cases coming to autopsy during this period, 66 (9.4%) died as a result of CRF. The highest number of cases of CRF fell within the 31-40 year age group with a male/female ratio of 1.28:1. Chronic glomerulonephritis was responsible for 40.9% of cases, malignant nephrosclerosis 16.6%, benign nephrosclerosis 7.6% while endstage renal disease (ESRD) was responsible for 15.4%. A miscellaneous group of diseases was responsible for 19.7%, about half of which was due to chronic pyelonephritis. Rarer causes of CRF were diabetic nephropathy, multiple myeloma, systemic lupus erythematosus and analgesic nephropathy.