Kidney problems can often sideswipe you, hitting when you don’t expect them, as a result of health problems that don’t seem related to the kidneys at all. One of the things that can strike in this unexpected way is Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, or HUS. It’s one of the conditions that is associated with kidney failure from E. coli bacterial infection, but that’s not the only way it can get its foot in the door.
HUS produces a low blood cell count, resulting in anemia, and destroys the platelets in the blood that allow clotting. It also damages small blood vessels in the kidneys, and sometimes in the heart or brain as well. When it hits the kidneys, the little filters called glomeruli get clogged with damaged blood cells and platelets, and kidney function is impaired. Symptoms to watch for, especially in children, include lower urine output, a loss of energy, and very noticeable pallor.
These symptoms will usually follow a bout with bloody diarrhea, often as part of some illness that affected the bowels. Toxins in the bowels will somehow move from the intestines into the bloodstream, and that’s where the damage begins. So while HUS is most often associated with E. coli, people need to be watchful after any illness involving diarrhea, especially with blood in it.
There’s one thing that’s more positive about this form of kidney problem compared to many others: people who suffer from HUS and endure some degree of kidney impairment will usually see the kidneys recover. Fluid volume control through an IV is very important as a treatment. And in some severe cases, temporary dialysis may be needed while the kidneys regain their health. But most of the time, especially if the person receives medical treatment, the kidneys will recover.
HUS-induced kidney impairment may portend other problems in the future, however. Even those who recover complete function are at a higher risk of kidney problems or high blood pressure in later years. One of the factors in this higher risk is whether other organs were severely affected by the HUS as well.
There aren’t many conditions that impair the kidneys that can be said to have a “positive” outlook, with potentially a complete recovery of the kidneys. Fortunately, HUS is one of them. But as with so many other things involving the kidneys, the key is to watch the symptoms, and get immediate treatment once the problem is discovered.