SM 213 Thrombotic Microangiopathies Flashcards
What are thrombotic microangiopathies?
TMA’s are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized clinically by a triad of:
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Thrombocytopenia
Organ Injury
What is seen on slides in TMA?
Fragments of RBC’s called schistocytes
What area of the Nephron is suspectible to TMA?
Glomerular microvasculature
What are the 3 types of TMA’s?
TTP = Thrombotic Trombocytic purpura
HUS = Hemolytic Uremic Syndromes
Other TMA’s
What are the two types of HUS?
D+HUS (Diarrhea due to Shigatoxin) and Atypical HUS (Due to defect in Complement Regulatory Proteins)
What can cause the “other” TMA’s?
Pre-eclampsia and anti-VEGF drugs
What is found in the blood of patients with TTP?
Patients with TTP have large circulating multimers of vWF
What is the trigger for TTP?
Endothelial cells releasing multimers of vWF, normally chopped up by ADAMTS13 (now deficient)
Why do clots of vWF form and clog microvasculature in TTP?
Low enzymatic activity of ADAMTS13 either due to birth defect or due an auto-antibody to ADAMTS13
What forms clots in TTP?
Multimers of vWF forming microclots
What are symptoms of TTP?
Schistocytes (fragments of RBC’s)
Low platelets
Fever
What is used to diagnose TTP?
Measuring activity of ADAMTS13 and finding low activity
Explain the pathophysiology of HUS?
Thrombi form in the small capillaries and arterioles leading to ischemia to the Glomeruli
Due to either Shigatoxin or CRP deficiencies
What toxin is associated with HUS?
Shiga-toxin
What strain of E. coli causes HUS?
O157:H7 - the shiga-toxin producing strain of E. coli that produces HUS
Which population is mostly effected by HUS?
Pediatric populations
How does Shiga-toxin work?
Ingest bacteria
Toxin enters the circulation
Toxin binds to Gb3 receptor on glomerulal endothelial cells
Platelet clots form
Why do children tend to be effected by Shiga-toxin?
More expression of the Gb3 receptor = more targets for Shiga-toxin
Can EAEC cause HUS?
Yes, if they acquire the shigatoxin gene, as was the case in Germany in 2011
What causes atypical HUS?
By definition, HUS not caused by Shigatoxin
Which is more common, aHUS or shigatoxin-mediated HUS?
Shigatoxin mediated HUS
Is atypical HUS heritable?
Yes
What part of the immune system is dysregulated in aHUS?
Abnormalities in complement regulation cause aHUS
What’s worse, aHUS or normal HUS?
aHUS, both in terms of mortality and complications in surviving patients