Demographics, clinical, laboratory findings and treatment results of pediatric patients with IgA Vasculitis: Single-center experience

Objective: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis (IgAV), also known as Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), is a vasculitis characterized by the accumulation of IgA in the vessel walls. In this study, we purposed to evaluate the demographics, clinical and laboratory findings, and treatment and treatment responses of patients diagnosed with IgAV/HSP in our center. Methods: The records of 201 IgAV/HSP patients who were followed up in the pediatric nephrology-rheumatology clinic were evaluated retrospectively. Results: It was seen with the equal frequency between girls and boys. While all patients had purpura, other findings were gastrointestinal, joint, renal, subcutaneous edema, and testicular involvement, in order of frequency. The rate of patients who developed intussusception was 2.5%, and none required surgical treatment. Biopsy was performed in patients with persistent proteinuria or hematuria. Histopathological diagnoses were mesangial proliferation, crescent, and minimal change, respectively. While the rate of renal involvement was high in cases with rash and relapse (p=0.046), there was no difference in gastrointestinal and joint involvement. In the histopathological findings of the boys, the crescent was higher than in the girls (p=0.017). Conclusion: IgAV/HSP generally has a good prognosis, but some patients suffer from renal involvement. In our study, renal histopathology in cases with renal involvement showed milder findings in girls than in boys, but there was no difference in other findings. Renal involvement was higher in relapsed patients.