[Post-diarrhea hemolytic-uremic syndrome: clinical aspects].

Every year in France, about 100 children, most of them less than 3 years old, have typical diarrhea-associated HUS (D + HUS). Evidence of exposure to verotoxin producing E. coli (VTEC), mostly the O157: H7 serotype, is demonstrated in about 85% of cases. A prodromal illness of acute gastroenteritis with diarrhea, often bloody, precedes the HUS by 1 to 15 days. HUS onset is sudden, with the typical association of hemolytic anemia with fragmented red blood cells, thrombocytopenia and acute renal insufficiency. Involvement of other organs than the kidneys may occur, such as severe hemorrhagic colitis with rectal prolapse, bowel wall necrosis or secondary stenosis, acute pancreatitis, central nervous system involvement which determines the vital outcome. Early accurate supportive treatment allows a current mortality rate below 5%, with most deaths due to central nervous system involvement. Five to 10% of children develop end stage renal disease, rarely directly, more often after having recovered some renal function with chronic renal insufficiency during a few years. After 15 or more years follow-up, at least one third of patients have some degree of proteinuria and/or hypertension, and eventually chronic or end stage renal failure. Predictive features of poor renal outcome at the acute phase are severe gastrointestinal involvement, severe CNS involvement, polyncleosis over 20,000/mm3, and duration of initial anuria longer than one week. The role of VTEC in D + HUS makes the disease a public health problem. Preventive measures are essential.