NEUROLOGICAL COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPICAL HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME

Abstract

Introduction. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a hemorrhagic systemic microangiopathy, which primarily affects the kidney and is defined by the triad: acute renal failure, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia. We report two cases of HUS with neurological manifestations and different evolution. Cases presentation. We report the cases of two young children, without significant medical history, who were diagnosed with acute renal failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. The onset of the disease was a few days prior to admission, with fever and diarrhea, for which they received symptomatic treatment at home, with worsening of the general condition. The particularity of these cases is that even if the patients had the featured triad of HUS and they were both diagnosed with this disease, the neurological complications evolved differently, with a finally favorable outcome. Conclusions. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is described as a multisystemic disease that affects mainly the kidney and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children less than 5 years old. The kidney and the brain are the main target organs in patients with HUS. In these two cases, the patients diagnosed with HUS and neurological complications, presented a favorable outcome with specific treatment.

Keywords

• microangiopathy
• thrombocytopenia
• hemolytic uremic syndrome
• neurological complications