Furosemide and Dopamine in Malarial Acute Renal Failure

The effects of furosemide and furosemide with dopamine on renal function were studied in 23 patients with acute renal failure due to falciparum malaria whose serum creatinine ranged from 230 to 947 μmol/l. Furosemide given intravenously at the dosage of 200 mg 6 hourly for a period of 4 days did not alter the clinical course of renal failure. Intravenous administration of furosemide (200 mg 6 hourly) with dopamine (1 μg/kg/min) for 4 days increased creatinine clearance and arrested the progress of renal failure when the serum creatinine was less than 400 μmol/l, but failed to alter the course of renal failure when the serum creatinine exceeded 600 μmol/l.