Plasma exchange may be doing more harm than good for people with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a small study suggests. Specifically, the treatment was found to increase the activation of the complement system — a part of the immune system that is already overly active in aHUS patients.
C5a, a terminal product of the complement system, can, by itself, promote blood vessel dysfunction and the subsequent formation of blood clots seen in people with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a study shows. Notably, the same C5a-induced molecular mechanisms were detected among patients with severe COVID-19 and whose infection…
Some COVID-19 patients may develop severe atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), but it can be completely or partly resolved with Soliris (eculizumab), according to three cases reported in a recent study. These cases add to a few other aHUS cases reported to be likely triggered by COVID-19,…
Endothelial cells, or those that line blood vessels, are functionally abnormal in people with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) associated with antibodies against complement factor H or CFH, according to a small study using patient-derived cells. Notably, these intrinsic defects were associated with reduced activation of the p38 MAPK…
Two Phase 3 clinical trials will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Roche’s investigational, self-injectable therapy crovalimab (RG6107) in children, adolescents, and adults with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). The first trial, called COMMUTE-a (NCT04861259), already is recruiting aHUS patients, ages 12 and older, at sites in the…
A newly identified mutation in the C3 gene that causes severe, life-threatening atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) was found in a baby boy in Israel, scientists report. While C3 mutations leading to overactivation of complement protein C3 are associated with aHUS, they are usually found in only one of…
Researchers have reported a rare case of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) in a 21-year-old Swiss-Indonesian man with lipoprotein glomerulopathy (LPG), an inherited kidney disease associated with fat accumulation in the organ’s small blood vessels. The findings suggest that the later development of aHUS, which also affects the kidney’s…
Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ long-acting Ultomiris (ravulizumab) was added to the list of medications available through England’s national health service (NHS) to adults and children weighing at least 10 kilograms (22 pounds), with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Ultomiris is Alexion’s successor to Soliris (eculizumab) — also approved for aHUS and…
Ultomiris (ravulizumab) has been approved in Scotland for adults and children weighing at least 10 kg, or 22 lbs, with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Ultomiris is Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ successor to Soliris (eculizumab), also approved for aHUS. Both therapies work by blocking the activity of the…
People with rare disorders have a worse healthcare experience than those affected by chronic diseases, according to the results of an international survey conducted by Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. Indeed, rare disease patients overall give their healthcare experience a medium-low rating, of 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 5,…
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