Henoch-Schonlein Purpura in childhood: a tertiary care hospital experience in Turkey

Abstract

Background: This study examines the clinical and laboratory features of children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Methods: A retrospective study was applied for the 32 Henoch-Schönlein purpura patients who were monitored between January 2014 and June 2017 at the Pediatric clinic of a tertiary care hospital. The diagnoses were made based on the HSP criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. Age, gender, clinical and laboratory findings of the patients were recorded.

Results: The mean age of the 32 Henoch-Schönlein purpura patients was 9.29±3.29 years. Complaints at the time of admission were as follows: 93.8% of the patients (n=30) had rash; 40.6% (n=13) had abdominal pain; and 59.4% (n=19) had joint involvement and inability to walk. The results of fecal occult blood test examined during the admission were found as negative for the 75% (n=25) of patients and positive for the 19% (n=6) of patients. According to the urinary specimens, which were considered as the evidence of renal involvement at the applications, proteinuria was found negative for the 27 (8.4%) patients and positive for the 5 (1.6%) patients; hematuria was negative for the 29 (90.6%) children and positive for the 3 (%9.4) children. Antihistamine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory were started as the treatment to the patients. During the follow-up, the 15.5% of patients had positive fecal blood tests although their test results were negative at the admission. During the clinical follow-up, the presence of proteinuria was found positive for the 6.3% of patients who had negative proteinuria test at their admissions.

Conclusions: Henoch-Schönlein purpura is a childhood vasculitis that manifests itself with rash and joint findings. It can cause significant complications due to gastrointestinal and genitourinary system involvement.