Absence of intravascular coagulation in the hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

Four patients had clinical manifestations of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. No evidence of active intravascular coagulation was found during the acute phase of the illness, using a sensitive assay to measure soluble circulating fibrin in the plasma of these patients, three of whom developed the clinical syndrome while hospitalized for gastro-enteritis. These findings, coupled with the findings of others, suggest that either the episode of intravascular coagulation precedes the development of the clinical manifestations, or that platelet thrombosis is occurring in the absence of activation of plasma clotting factors. In any case, heparin anticoagulant therapy does not seem indicated.