Table 1.
Patients’ characteristics at onset
| Characteristic | Children | Adults | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients (n) | 89 | 125 | |
| Female/male (n/n) | 42/47 | 93/32 | <0.001 |
| Mean age at onset (yr) | 1.5 (0 to <15) | 31 (15–85) | |
| Familial HUS history, n (%) | 24 (26.9) | 18 (14.4) | 0.02 |
| Triggering events, n (%) | 42 (47) | 41 (33) | 0.03 |
| Diarrhea | 35 (39) | 19 (15) | <0.001 |
| Respiratory infections | 7 (8) | 1 (1) | 0.03 |
| Pregnancy | 18/93 females (19.3) | ||
| Neurologic involvement, n (%) | 14 (16)a | 10 (8) | 0.08 |
| Mean serum creatinine (µmol/L) | 257 (28–990) (n=82) | 640 (111–2408) (n=113) | <0.001 |
| Dialysis required, n (%) | 48/81 (59) | 93/115 (81) | <0.001 |
| Platelets count, n (%) | |||
| > 150 × 109/L | 12/81 (15) | 15/93 (16) | 0.78 |
| 100–150 × 109/L | 9/81 (11) | 22/93 (24) | 0.02 |
| 50–99 × 109/L | 26/81 (32) | 31/93 (33) | 0.84 |
| < 50 × 109/L | 34/81 (42) | 25/93 (27) | 0.05 |
| Mean hemoglobin (g/dl) | 6.8 (3–12) (n=84) | 7.2 (5–11.8) (n=93) | 0.004 |
| Hemoglobin > 10 g/dl, n (%) | 5/84 (6) | 10/93 (11) | 0.16 |
| Complete triad, n (%)b | 60/81 (74) | 77/93 (83) | 0.11 |
Values are given as means with ranges in parentheses or as percentages. HUS, hemolytic uremic syndrome.
a
In children, extrarenal manifestations also included pancreatitis (increase of pancreatic enzymes with or without clinical/radiologic signs) in six cases (7%), hepatitis (increase in hepatic enzymes) in five cases (6%), multiorgan failure in three cases (3%), intra-alveolar hemorrhage in two cases (2%), and pericarditis in one case (1%). Extrarenal manifestations other than neurologic are not documented in adults.
b
Complete triad: hemoglobin < 10 g/dl plus platelet count < 150 G/L plus serum creatinine above the upper limit of normal.