Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Korean children

Abstract

Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute disease caused by Hantavirus and clinically characterised by abrupt onset of fever, various haemorrhagic manifestations and transient renal and hepatic dysfunction. We retrospectively reviewed 63 cases of HFRS in children from 13 different hospitals in Korea who presented over a 15-year period. The age of the patients ranged from 7 to 15 years, with a male to female ratio of 8 to 1. Fifty-four (86%) patients were 10 years or older. On admission, 24 (38%) were in the febrile phase and 35 (56%) were in the oliguric phase. Fever (100%) abdominal pain (91%), headache (76%) and vomiting (73%) were the most common symptoms. Backache, subconjunctival haemorrhage and hypertension were also noted in about one-third of patients. Hypotension was documented in only 7 (11%) patients. Leucocytosis (> 10,000/mm3) and thrombocytopenia (< 150,000/mm3) were noted in more than two-thirds of patients. Elevated blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine was observed in 94% by the 7th (median) day of illness. Elevated aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase were found in more than two-thirds of patients. Renal biopsy was performed in 12 patients and revealed various stages of acute tubular necrosis with occasional interstitial cell infiltration and oedema. Only 2 showed evidence of interstitial haemorrhage. Eleven patients required 1-3 days of dialysis and the remaining patients required only conservative management. Three (5%) patients died of shock, respiratory failure and pulmonary haemorrhage. All other patients recovered without sequelae. Although childhood cases were much less common than adults, clinical and laboratory findings were in general similar between children and adults.