Eculizumab Maintenance and the Prevention of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Relapse During Pregnancy: A Case Report

Abstract

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a thrombotic microangiopathy that can cause life-threatening anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. When triggered during pregnancy or the acute postpartum period, the disease is referred to as pregnancy-associated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (P-aHUS). Women who suffer P-aHUS may later want to consider future pregnancy. These patients are at high, though not well-estimated, risk of relapse. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody against complement 5 (C5), has been highly successful in treating acute attacks of P-aHUS, but little is known about the effectiveness of eculizumab maintenance therapy throughout pregnancy. In this case report, we present a woman whose first pregnancy was complicated by severe P-aHUS. In her next pregnancy, she was maintained on eculizumab. She delivered a healthy infant at term and had no recurrences of P-aHUS during the pregnancy or in the postpartum period. J Med Cases. 2019;10(12):343-344 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3397