Low red cell arachidonic acid in hemolytic uremic syndrome.

A defect in prostacyclin generation has been proposed in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS): prostacyclin is formed from arachidonic acid derived from phospholipid and low levels of some phospholipids have been described in HUS cell membranes. Therefore fatty acid content of the red blood cell membranes of 8 children with HUS was compared with 32 children with other renal disease, with 33 patients with non-renal disease and with 8 normal adults. Children with HUS consistently had lower proportions of arachidonic acid (2.7-8.4%) than all other groups (10.1-18.8%) and the mean arachidonic acid level in HUS was very significantly reduced (p less than 0.0001). These findings suggest a reduced availability of arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis in HUS and are consistent with the proposition that arachidonic acid is lost through peroxidative change.