Abstract
Introduction: More than 6, 000 patients in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture suffered from acute food poisoning caused by verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O-157 in the summer of 1996. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) occurred in about 100 cases. Ten patients with HUS were transferred to our emergency center. This study is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of plasma exchange (PE) for HUS caused by VTEC O-157.
Materials and methods: Five of the 10 cases (age 1-17 years) were male. In all cases, VTEC O-157 was either isolated from the stool or the antibodies were detected in the serum. Platelet counts and LDH were assessed daily for 14 days after admission.
Results: Five patients received PE and the other 5 patients did not. Platelet counts, LDH BUN and serum creatinine were not significantly different between the PE and non-PE groups on admission. Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and renal function improved with no significant difference between the two groups. All cases had complete recovery without any renal impairment.
Conclusion: Significant benefits of PE were not found in 10 cases with HUS from VTEC O-157 indicating PE is not a necessity in the treatment of HUS caused by VTEC O-157.
