Children with bloody diarrhea may have an Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection and are therefore at consequent risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a recent study suggests. Researchers performed a prospective cohort study of consecutive children aged <18 years who presented with acute bloody diarrhea between August 1, 2013, and August 1, 2014. They performed physical examinations and recorded patient outcomes. Among the findings:

• Of the 135 eligible patients (median age 3 years; 56% male), 108 were enrolled.
• Children infected with STEC (10 patients tested positive) were older and more likely to have abdominal tenderness.
• D-dimer concentrations had a 70% sensitivity and 55% specificity for differentiating children with STEC from those with another cause of bloody diarrhea.
• However, this marker may be useful in identifying children whose bloody diarrhea is caused by a bacterial enteric pathogen.