Home

Account ⋅ Sign Out

Table of contents

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome

What's new

Added 2016 KHWG guidelines on the evaluation and management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Background

Overview

Definition
aHUS is a complement-mediated disease characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure.
1
Pathophysiology
aHUS is most commonly caused by dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway.
2
Disease course
The failure of complement regulation results in aHUS, which presents with clinical manifestations of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. Extra-renal manifestations include altered consciousness, seizures, focal neurologic deficits, prodromic diarrhea, hypertension, and malaise. Disease progression may lead to ESRD.
3
Prognosis and risk of recurrence
aHUS is associated with an overall mortality rate of 25%.
2

Guidelines

Key sources

The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the Korean Working Group on Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (KHWG 2016) and the British Society for Haematology (BSH 2010)....
Show more

Screening and diagnosis

Clinical presentation: as per BSH 2010 guidelines, Suspect aHUS in patients with:
clinical evidence of thrombotic microangiopathy
no evidence of STEC-associated HUS
no evidence of TTP (ADAMTS13 activity > 10%).
B
Create free account

Diagnostic investigations

ADAMTS13 activity: as per KHWG 2016 guidelines, Obtain tests for ADAMTS13 activity to exclude TTP in all patients suspected of having aHUS.
B
Create free account

More topics in this section

  • Complement testing

  • Shiga toxin test

  • Anti-factor H antibodies

  • Plasma homocysteine, methionine, and MMA

  • Other laboratory tests

  • FACS analysis

  • Genetic testing

Diagnostic procedures

Tissue biopsy: as per KHWG 2016 guidelines, Consider performing tissue biopsies on a case-by-case basis in patients with suspected aHUS.
C
Create free account

Medical management

Eculizumab
As per KHWG 2016 guidelines:
Administer eculizumab, where available, as first-line treatment for patients with symptomatic aHUS.
B
Provide meningococcal vaccination to all patients scheduled to receive eculizumab, prior to administering the first dose.
A
Create free account

Therapeutic procedures

Plasma exchange: as per KHWG 2016 guidelines, Offer a trial of plasma exchange and/or plasma infusion to all patients who are clinically suspected of having aHUS, if eculizumab is not available.
B
Create free account

Surgical interventions

Kidney/liver transplantation
As per KHWG 2016 guidelines:
Avoid performing renal transplantation alone in patients with aHUS.
D
Consider performing isolated liver transplantation or a combined liver and kidney transplantation in patients with a factor H, factor I, factor B, or C3 mutation.
C
Create free account

Patient education

Trigger avoidance: as per KHWG 2016 guidelines, Counsel patients with aHUS who have achieved clinical remission to avoid any identifiable trigger factors as much as possible.
B
Create free account