Signs and Symptoms of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a condition that affects children under the age of 10. It is most common in children ages 6 months to 4 years. It is characterized by acute kidney failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. It is the most common cause of acute kidney failure in children. Hemolytic uremic syndrome was first described in 1955 by Gasser and coworkers.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is also known as hamburger disease because it is most often caused by a type of E. coli bacteria. Hemolytic uremic syndrome can also be associated with Shigella and Salmonella. Ninety percent of hemolytic uremic syndrome cases are caused by infectious viruses such as diarrhea. The infectious diseases produce toxic substances that destroy red blood cells. The other ten percent is caused by upper respiratory infection. Transmission can be made by person to person contact, public water supplies and by petting a cow.

Signs and symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome are abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stool, pallor, tiredness, irritability, severe anemia, bruising, mouth lining hemorrhages, reduced urine, hypertension, edema, swollen feet, swollen hands, kidney failure, hematemesis, hemorrhagic skin spots, convulsions, reduced blood platelet count, kidney disease, seizures, weakness on one side of body, drowsiness, enlarged liver and spleen, increased liver enzymes and abnormal red blood cell shape.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome is associated with varicella, echovirus, Coxsackie’s A and B, streptococcus pneumoniae, clostridium difficile, AIDS, cancer and chemotherapy.

Treatment may include red blood cell transfusions, platelet transfusions, plasma exchange and kidney dialysis. Complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome include high blood pressure, chronic kidney failure, heart problems, stroke and coma. The death rate is 5-15%. This rate is higher in older children and adults, which have a worse prognosis.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome use to be very rare, but the number of cases has been increasing in children over the years.

this article has been brought to you by associatedcontent.com/cristina134

By: C.Olvera
Published: 03/13/08