A rare cause of the pulmonary-renal syndrome: a case of atypical haemolytic-uraemic syndrome complicated by pulmonary haemorrhage

NDT Plus. 2008 Dec;1(6):417-419. doi: 10.1093/ndtplus/sfn145. Epub 2008 Sep 3.

Abstract

Pulmonary haemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening event that may occur in patients with pulmonary-renal syndromes. These syndromes have typically been thought to occur in small-vessel vasculitides, such as ANCA-mediated disease, Goodpasture's disease and other autoimmune conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus or anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. Here, we present a rare cause for pulmonary haemorrhage with associated renal failure-atypical haemolytic-uraemic syndrome. In this case, renal biopsy was integral to providing a diagnosis and guiding therapy.