Transcripts
DR. BRANDT:
Of the percentage of patients who have renal findings in overt HUS (and there is a subclinical HUS, but here I am referring to the kids who are in the hospital, they're overtly sick, there's obviously something wrong with their kidneys), 70 percent of those patients will have low urine output. About 50 percent will require dialysis; 70 percent require a red blood cell transfusion; and, surprisingly, 30 percent require a platelet transfusion. And I say surprisingly because we nephrologists often go to great lengths to avoid transferring platelets into children with HUS. We usually try to avoid platelet transfusions because it may only allow more platelet thrombi to form.
On the other hand, if your platelet counts are too low, the risk of having spontaneous bleeding becomes very high and platelets must be given.
Hypertension is seen in about 30 percent of patients. And death is seen in about four percent of HUS patients pretty consistently in the past 20 years.
