Haemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy

Two infants are described with a fulminant disorder characterised by profound circulatory collaps and shock, generalised convulsions and unremitting coma, bleeding due to severe DIC, fever, diarrhoea, metabolic acidosis and renal and hepatic failure. Both infants died shortly after onset of the symptoms. Autopsy mainly revealed haemorrhages in different organs, anoxaemic lesions in the brain and a normal structure of liver and pancreas. No causative agent could be demonstrated. We believe that both patients suffered from haemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy, a mostly fatal disorder which has recently been described. Although the clinical and biochemical features are very distinctive, this syndrome is probably heterogeneous and its differentiation from some other disorders may be difficult. Its pathogenesis is unknown but there are some indications that intravascular activity of trypsin may play a role. During a study of the two families we obtained abnormal results of immunologic tests in most members: the interpretation of this finding remains conjectural. Haemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy may occur more frequently than the restricted literature on this subject suggests. Future studies will have to deal with the question of identity and pathogenesis.