{"id":53526,"date":"2026-04-24T05:50:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theisn.org\/?post_type=event&p=53526"},"modified":"2026-05-12T14:53:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T14:53:06","slug":"isn-ipna-webinar-hemolytic-uremic-syndrome-in-children-practical-realities-versus-ideal-approaches","status":"publish","type":"event","link":"https:\/\/www.theisn.org\/blog\/event\/isn-ipna-webinar-hemolytic-uremic-syndrome-in-children-practical-realities-versus-ideal-approaches\/","title":{"rendered":"ISN-IPNA\u202fWebinar: Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in Children: Practical Realities versus Ideal Approaches"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Haemolytic\u00a0uremic syndrome (HUS) is one of the\u00a0commonest\u00a0causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) worldwide. It is\u00a0characterised\u00a0by a triad of microangiopathic\u00a0haemolytic\u00a0anaemia,\u00a0thrombocytopenia\u00a0and acute kidney impairment. HUS may occur following\u00a0infection\u00a0most often following diarrheal illness caused by\u00a0<\/span>E.coli<\/span><\/i>\u00a0O157:H7 (typical HUS) or result from complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) due to genetic or\u00a0acquired\u00a0dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway (atypical HUS).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AKI in low and low middle income countries is well described in the literature as predominantly community-acquired, affecting younger populations and commonly following infectious illnesses such as malaria and sepsis. In\u00a0most of\u00a0sub-Saharan Africa, severe malaria is among the leading causes of AKI. Within this context, HUS particularly in setting with a rising burden of severe malaria and significant diagnostic limitations, often becomes an overlooked or under-recognized cause of AKI<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We present here a summary of four patients managed at our\u00a0centre\u00a0who\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0clinical features suggestive of, and laboratory findings consistent with HUS, within the limits of available diagnostic capacity.\u00a0\u00a0We share these cases to underscore the challenge of diagnosis and management and to emphasize the need for a high index of suspicion among clinicians. All patients tested negative for malaria by peripheral blood smear and malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT), despite some having received\u00a0malaria treatment prior to referral.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The diagnostic process can be complex and is not always straight forward, in a child presenting with\u00a0anaemia, thrombocytopenia and kidney injury, with or without a preceding diarrheal illness. Confirming the diagnosis is essential to ensure\u00a0timely\u00a0and\u00a0appropriate treatment, which is critical for\u00a0optimal\u00a0outcomes. Support from the\u00a0haematology\u00a0unit, particularly their prompt turnaround of peripheral smear\u00a0evaluations\u00a0was invaluable in guiding clinical decision making.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Learning objectives:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n