[Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 infection in an elderly patient with secondary hemolytic uremic syndrome who developed recurrent acute exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis].

We encountered a patient with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 infection and secondary hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The patient was a 79-year-old woman with hypertension, constipation, and asymptomatic cholelithiasis. She complained of nausea and abdominal pain, and had bloody stool EHEC O157 was detected by fecal culture. The bloody stool resolved after treatment with antibiotics, but the patient was hospitalized on July 23, 1996 because of abdominal distention. HUS was diagnosed because of proteinuria, hematuria, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, fragmentation of red blood cells, and increased serum LDH. Treatment was focused on plasma exchange, administration of antibiotics, large doses of gamma-globulin, haptoglobin replacement, and anticoagulation. Within about 2 weeks, the level of hemoglobin, the number of platelets, and the serum LDH had normalized, and the patient recovered from HUS. The decreased intestinal movement continued. On August 23, acute cholecystitis was diagnosed, and percutaneous transhepatic gall bladder drainage was done. Another exacerbation was noted on October 13, and cholecystectomy was done on November 12, when the patient's status had improved after instillation of antibiotics. Macroscopically, the gallbladder wall was thickened. Histopathological examination showed diffuse infiltration of lymphocytes into the mucosa, chronic cholecystitis was diagnosed. Because the postoperative course was satisfactory, the patient was discharged from the hospital on December 15. Acute exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis might have been caused by decreased cholic excretion after the marked decrease in intestinal movement due to O157 infection and secondary HUS. Because elderly people frequently have anamnesis of the digestive system, considerably attention should be paid to the management of anamnesis, as well as O157 infection and secondary HUS.