Main Differential Diagnosis of HELLP in USMLE Questions

I really do not have any idea what the main or the most common differential diagnosis of HELLP syndrome is, but in the USMLE questions, I always tried to rule out Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). To me HUS was the most challenging part, as you have very short time to read the question completely and both have Hemolysis, it is kinds of challenging, isn’t it?
Is that it? No… now check this out, in HUS you have Uremia (in the question high BUN, and high Cr). In the HELLP syndrome you will see rise in BUN and Cr! Damn it!
Is that is? Still now! … In HUS you do have Low Platelet, exactly like HELLP syndrome”

So just pay attention to these facts:
- In HUS usually there is a history of gastro-enteritis or Urethritis.
- In HUS, we could have complications like thrombosis of odds vessels (Budd chiari Syndrome)

Oops! I forgot to tell you that pregnant women can eat hamburger and can get HUS! So pregnancy does not rule out HUS ;)

By the way I just checked this out, the most common differential diagnoses of HELLP syndrome are:

- DIC
- Preeclampsia
- TTP (Transient Thrombocytopenic Purpura), Don’t worry about this, you will see confusion (mental status change) in it, so you won’t miss it.
- HUS
- Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy