The successful treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome with plasmapheresis.

A seven and a half-year-old boy presented with idiopathic atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). He initially appeared to respond to plasma infusions. When he became refractory to plasma infusion, plasmapheresis was initiated. The treatment with plasmapheresis dramatically reversed the deterioration in glomerular filtration rate and platelet count. The use of plasma infusion and plasmapheresis in HUS is discussed. The authors advise the use of plasmapheresis in idiopathic atypical HUS.