Open AccessEculizumab for atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome in India: First report from India and the challenges faced
Author(s) -
SK Sethi,
Smriti Rohatgi,
Marie-Agnès Dragon-Durey,
Veena Raghunathan,
Maninder Dhaliwal,
Aruna Rawat,
Pranaw Kumar Jha,
SB Bansal,
Rupesh Raina,
Vijay Kher
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
indian journal of nephrology/indian journal of nephrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.317
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1998-3662
pISSN - 0971-4065
DOI - 10.4103/0971-4065.179369
Subject(s) - eculizumab , medicine , atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome , intensive care medicine , disease , pediatrics , immunology , complement system , antibody
Much progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). Plasma therapy is the mainstay of treatment for aHUS. The availability of the first effective anti-complement therapeutic agent, eculizumab, has dramatically changed the outlook of this disease. However, its use in clinical practice raises important questions, such as who should receive the drug, when to start such therapy, and is it safe to stop treatment once the disease is controlled. We describe here for the 1 st time in India, use of eculizumab in a 12-year-old boy with aHUS. We also describe in this report challenges faced in procuring the drug, and an ideal, evidence-based method of treating aHUS in children.