Outcome of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome relapse after eculizumab withdrawal

Background: The introduction of eculizumab has significantly improved the outcome of patients with atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS). Because of the risk of relapse after discontinuation, eculizumab was proposed as life-long therapy. However, data on the outcome of relapse are limited. In the Netherlands, patients with aHUS are treated with a restrictive eculizumab regime and are included in a national observational study (CUREiHUS, Dutch Trial Register NTR5988/NL5833).

Methods: For this interim safety analysis, we evaluated the outcome of all adult patients with a suspected relapse, defined as the need to intensify eculizumab after tapering or withdrawal of therapy.

Results: We describe 11 patients who received renewed eculizumab therapy because of suspected relapse. In three patients with aHUS in native kidneys, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) returned to baseline value and remained stable without overt proteinuria after follow-up. Six out of eight transplanted patients responded to eculizumab therapy with improvement in eGFR. After a median follow-up of 24.6 months, a reduction of eGFR ≥25% was observed in three of these transplanted patients, which was attributed to the aHUS relapse in only one patient.

Conclusions: This interim analysis suggests that re-treatment with eculizumab after relapse is safe and feasible. We will continue to use our restrictive treatment strategy.