Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

At the Cross Section of Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome : A Narrative Review of Differential Diagnostics and a Problematization of Nomenclature

Åkesson, Alexander LU ; Zetterberg, Eva LU and Klintman, Jenny LU (2017) In Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis 21(4). p.304-319
Abstract

Complement-mediated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Renal biopsies often indicate thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). The condition is caused by an excessive activation of the alternative pathway leading to depositions of membrane attack complexes (MAC) on host cells. It may depend on mutations in complement components and regulatory proteins, or the formation of complement-specific antibodies. Mainly, an environmental trigger (e.g. infection) is needed for the excessive response to develop. The clinical characteristics are more or less shared with a wide range of diseases manifesting with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Because of prior deficits in pathogenic... (More)

Complement-mediated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Renal biopsies often indicate thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). The condition is caused by an excessive activation of the alternative pathway leading to depositions of membrane attack complexes (MAC) on host cells. It may depend on mutations in complement components and regulatory proteins, or the formation of complement-specific antibodies. Mainly, an environmental trigger (e.g. infection) is needed for the excessive response to develop. The clinical characteristics are more or less shared with a wide range of diseases manifesting with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Because of prior deficits in pathogenic understanding, associated nomenclature has been based on clinical symptoms. New knowledge challenges these symptomatic definitions; however, an outdated terminology is still being applied in clinical practice to various extents. With respect to gained insights, it is more advantageous to rebuild the concepts on etiological and pathogenic grounds. The need for more distinct definitions is even more urgent in the light of the effective treatment regimen with eculizumab for complement-mediated aHUS. This review presents an up-to-date summary of the field of investigation, addresses the need for faster differential diagnostics and proposes a revised nomenclature based on the current pathogenic understanding.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Acute renal failure, Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, Complement, Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, Thrombotic microangiopathy
in
Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis
volume
21
issue
4
pages
304 - 319
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85019489325
  • pmid:28508588
  • wos:000407899100001
ISSN
1744-9979
DOI
10.1111/1744-9987.12535
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f36dd651-96f2-4a4d-b0f6-a0638d5fa889
date added to LUP
2017-06-26 11:31:23
date last changed
2024-04-14 13:07:32
@article{f36dd651-96f2-4a4d-b0f6-a0638d5fa889,
  abstract     = {{<p>Complement-mediated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Renal biopsies often indicate thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). The condition is caused by an excessive activation of the alternative pathway leading to depositions of membrane attack complexes (MAC) on host cells. It may depend on mutations in complement components and regulatory proteins, or the formation of complement-specific antibodies. Mainly, an environmental trigger (e.g. infection) is needed for the excessive response to develop. The clinical characteristics are more or less shared with a wide range of diseases manifesting with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Because of prior deficits in pathogenic understanding, associated nomenclature has been based on clinical symptoms. New knowledge challenges these symptomatic definitions; however, an outdated terminology is still being applied in clinical practice to various extents. With respect to gained insights, it is more advantageous to rebuild the concepts on etiological and pathogenic grounds. The need for more distinct definitions is even more urgent in the light of the effective treatment regimen with eculizumab for complement-mediated aHUS. This review presents an up-to-date summary of the field of investigation, addresses the need for faster differential diagnostics and proposes a revised nomenclature based on the current pathogenic understanding.</p>}},
  author       = {{Åkesson, Alexander and Zetterberg, Eva and Klintman, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{1744-9979}},
  keywords     = {{Acute renal failure; Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome; Complement; Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia; Thrombotic microangiopathy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{304--319}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis}},
  title        = {{At the Cross Section of Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome : A Narrative Review of Differential Diagnostics and a Problematization of Nomenclature}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1744-9987.12535}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1744-9987.12535}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}