ATYPICAL HAEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19: CASE REPORT

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Renal manifestations are common in hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We report here the case of a patient with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with the clinical picture of atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). METHOD: Case report RESULTS: Our case is a 31-year-old man with a nasopharyngeal swab with real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 positive, who was hospitalized in the Clinic of Infectious Diseases. His medical history had a respiratory illness of 7-day evolution characterized by cough, fever, dyspnoea, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and non-bloody diarrhoea, and decreased urine output with dark colour urine. The chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed few rounded ground-glass opacities. Laboratory tests at admission revealed the following (i) acute kidney injury stage 3 with a serum creatinine of 3.85 mg/dL (basal value 0.9 mg/dL);serum urea 221 mg/dL. His urinary volume in the first 24 h of hospitalization was 800 mL. (ii) Severe haemolytic anaemia with haemoglobin (Hgb) level of 3.7 g/dL, and peripheral smear showing large number of schistocytes, haptoglobin <10 mg/dL and indirect bilirubin 9.7 mg/dL, direct coombs testing was negative;reticulocyte count 8.9%. (iii) Severe thrombocytopaenia with platelet count of 25 000/μL, prothrombin time 45%, international normalized ratio 1.7, D-dimer 1082 ng/dL and fibrinogen 880 mg/dL. Increased blood levels of enzymes and inflammatory markers were present lactate dehydrogenase 1867 U/L and protein C reactive 9.1 mg/dL. Electrolyte disturbances characterized by hyperkalaemia, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcaemia and severe metabolic acidosis. Dynamic changes of laboratory data are presented in Table 1. The usual liver panel tests, alkaline phosphatase, γ -glutamyl transferase and albuminemia were normal. Toxic hepatitis was excluded. Hepatobiliary and spleen imaging (ultrasonography) was normal. ELISA serologic tests for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C virus and cytomegalovirus were negative. Serological and virological tests for hepatitis A, B, C, HIV and CMV were negative. Stool was negative for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The results of antinuclear antibodies and anti-smooth-muscle antibodies were negative, C3 serum level was mildly depressed (82 mg/dL;normal range 88- 201 mg/dL) and C4 serum level was normal (20 mg/dL;normal range 10-44 mg/dL). ADAMTS13 activity was 90% on day 10. He was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics, intravenous dexamethasone and supportive therapy. One week from admission, renal function recovered, and 1 week after intravascular haemolysis and thrombocytopaenia recovered. The patient was hospitalized for 21 days. CONCLUSION: Close monitoring and early intervention can help for a better outcome of SARS-CoV-2 patients complicated with aHUS.