PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, cilt.33, sa.12, ss.2371-2381, 2018 (SCI-Expanded)
BackgroundThis study aims to identify epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients and report our experience with eculizumab treatment during an outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Istanbul in 2015.MethodsThirty-two children (21 females, median age 3.25years) were included in this study. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data, and treatment details were retrospectively collected. Renal outcomes were assessed at last follow-up visit. To assess the effect of eculizumab on prognosis of STEC-HUS, subgroup analysis was performed on patients who required dialysis.ResultsA high number of cases occurred within a certain region of Istanbul. Stool samples were cultured from 21 patients (65%), and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC; n=7) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC; n=3) strains were detected. Rates of dialysis treatment, neurological manifestations, and death were 59%, 25%, and 3%, respectively. Mean follow-up duration was 8.62.6months (range 3-12months). None of the patients (n=25) was on dialysis at the final visit. The complete renal recovery rate was 54%. Nine patients were treated with eculizumab. At final follow-up visit, no differences in estimated glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria level, or hypertension incidence were observed between patients treated with eculizumab and those not treated with eculizumab.Conclusions p id=Par4 An outbreak of EAEC occurred in a specific region of Istanbul. Livestock markets were suspected as the source. Evidence for beneficial effects of eculizumab on renal outcome was not clear in this cohort.