Abstract
Background: Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a condition characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and acute kidney injury, which can exhibit a poor prognosis. Gene mutations play a key role in this disease, which may be sporadic or familial. Methods: We studied, 13 people from the same family were investigated retrospectively for gene mutations of familial atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome after a patient presented to our emergency clinic with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and reported a family history of chronic renal failure. Results: The pS1191L mutation in the complement factor H gene was heterozygous in 6 people from the family of the patient with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. One of these people was our patient with acute renal failure and the other two are followed up by the Nephrology Clinic due to chronic renal failure. The other 3 persons showed no evidence of renal failure. The index case had a history of 6 sibling deaths; two of them died of chronic renal failure. Plasmapheresis and fresh frozen plasma treatment was given to our patient. When patient showed no response to this treatment, eculizumab therapy was started. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that a thorough family history should be taken in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome. These patients may have familial type of the disease and they should be screened genetically. Eculizumab should be the first choice in the treatment with plasmapheresis. It should be kept in mind that the use of eculizumab as prophylaxis in post-transplant therapy is extremely important for prevention of rejection.
Analysis of Linear Antibody Epitopes on Factor H and CFHR1 Using Sera of Patients with Autoimmune Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome