The neuropsychological function of 91 children who had recovered from hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), without severe neurological dysfunction (stroke, hemiplegia, blindness, retardation), and case controls admitted for non-HUS illness, was determined in a multicenter study at six tertiary care hospitals reporting to the Canadian Pediatric Kidney Disease Research Center, Ottawa, Canada. Scores on verbal ability tests were lower in patients with the highest serum creatinine concentrations during the HUS illness, but the severity of the acute renal failure was not correlated with neuropsychological measures. There was no increased risk of attention deficit disorder among patients recovering from HUS. [1]

COMMENT. Children recovering from acute hemolytic uremic syndrome without serious neurologic sequelae are not at risk of learning, behavior, or attention problems. Neuropsychological tests are not required as a routine part of the follow-up, but only as symptoms and school performance dictate.