title: Pregnant Woman with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Delivered a Healthy Newborn under Eculizumab Treatment.
abstract: Pregnancy-associated thrombotic microangiopathy is a very rare condition; however, it significantly increases fetal or maternal morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy may trigger atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The risk for pregnancy-associated aHUS is highest during the second pregnancy. The outcome is usually poor with 50-60% mortality; renal dysfunction and hypertension are the rule in those who survive the acute episode. After the development of complement regulation mechanisms and aHUS pathogenesis, eculizumab has been widely used as a first-line treatment in aHUS. Eculizumab has been produced to minimize immunogenicity and Fc-mediated functions, including recruitment of inflammatory cells and complement activation, and using eculizumab in first-line treatment improves kidney function. Recent studies showed that early diagnosis and rapid use of eculizumab in first-line treatment improve outcomes. We demonstrate a case with pregnancy-triggered aHUS occurring in the second trimester, who was successfully treated and delivered a healthy baby under eculizumab treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozluk
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Isin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kilicaslan
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turkmen
keywords: Eculizumab; Pregnancy-associated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome; Pregnancy-associated thrombotic microangiopathy