Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is an extremely rare, potentially life-threatening type of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) caused by dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement. In this “Test in Focus episode of the "Answers From the Lab" podcast, Meera Sridharan, M.D., Ph.D., explains the serological complement profile used by Mayo Clinic Laboratories to identify disease presence.

“We consider (aHUS) a diagnosis of exclusion and clinically, I’m looking at how is the patient presenting? Do they have any other secondary causes of having a TMA?” Dr. Sridharan says. “By getting the full, comprehensive panel you’re excluding other possibilities of why complement could be abnormal and making sure what you’re dealing with is a specific alternative pathway problem.”

Incorporating nine different analytes into the profile provides a complete picture of the complement cascade to isolate the disease process and confirm diagnosis.

“There are definitive diagnostic treatment options for these patients, and so it’s very imperative that we get the right diagnosis and get them started on these treatments,” Dr. Sridharan says. Listen to learn more about how serological complement testing can confirm aHUS diagnosis and set patients on the right treatment path.

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Testing

AHUSD | Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) Complement Panel, Serum and Plasma

Useful for

AHUSD | Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) Complement Panel, Serum and Plasma

• Detecting deficiencies in the alternative pathway that can cause atypical-hemolytic uremic syndrome, dense deposit disease, and C3 glomerulonephritis.
• A second-tier test that aids in the differential diagnosis of thrombotic microangiopathies.

Specimen requirements

AHUSD | Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) Complement Panel, Serum and Plasma

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