title: Prognostic markers in diarrhoea-associated haemolytic-uraemic syndrome: initial neutrophil count, human neutrophil elastase and von Willebrand factor antigen.
abstract: The observed increase in plasma von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) in patients with the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome is presumed to be secondary to endothelial damage, which is a central event in these diseases. As the prognostic value of such changes has not been previously evaluated, vWF:Ag has been measured in plasma from children reported to a national survey of haemolytic-uraemic syndrome. Human neutrophil elastase was also measured, as an initial neutrophilia has been shown to have prognostic value in diarrhoea-associated haemolytic-uraemic syndrome. Despite a significant elevation of plasma vWF:Ag concentration in these patients at presentation, the values did not correlate with the period of thrombocytopenia, the need for dialysis, or outcome. However, children with a poor outcome had significantly greater plasma elastase concentrations compared to those who had a good outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Milford
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Staten
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: MacGreggor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dawes
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000941:Antigens / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; C029417:Von Willebrand antigen; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase