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Renal-Limited Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Infants: A Case Series

Wang H, Luo S, Wang S, Zhang N, Cai Y, Li M, Wei H, Yue Z et al.

Kidney medicine, 2026

Abstract

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), an intractable disease, can present in a renal-limited mode. Data on infantile-onset renal-limited TMA (RL-TMA) is lacking. This study describes 5 cases of RL-TMA in infants.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Five patients with infantile-onset RL-TMA who were admitted and/or followed up at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, from January 2024 to June 2025.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Clinical data of 5 patients were collected. Amino acid conservation was analyzed by Clustal Omega, the secondary structure of the mutants was predicted by PolyPhen-2 and PHYRE2, and tertiary structure was predicted by AlphaFold3 and ChimeraX.

RESULTS: All patients presented with acute nephritic syndrome with hematuria and proteinuria with onset in infancy, but without hemolytic anemia or thrombocytopenia. Corticosteroid treatment was attempted in 3 patients with no response. Renal pathology revealed microthrombi; segmental endothelial cells that swelled with widening of the subendothelial gap and/or mesangiolysis were observed. C3 heterozygous missense variant (c.2184 C>T, p.Cys728X), CD46 homozygous variant c.614A>G (p.Glu205Gly), and CFI heterozygous variant c.610A>G (p.Met204Val) were detected in 3 patients, respectively. Possible activation of alternative complement pathway (AP) was indicated in all 4 tested patients. Complete remission was achieved in 2 patients, and partial response was observed in another 2…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a case series, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.

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