All issues > Volume 45(1); 2002
- Case Report
- J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2002;45(1):125-130. Published online January 15, 2002.
- Small Intestinal Infarction Associated with Henoch-Schöenlein Purpura
- Myung Ki MK Han1, Yu In YI Park1, Jeong Ho JH Kim1, Jung Joo JJ Lee1, Hye Young HY Kang2
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1Department of Pediatrics, Kangnung Hospital, College of Medicine, Ulsan University, Kangnung, Korea
1Department of Pediatrics, Kangnung Hospital, College of Medicine, Ulsan University, Kangnung, Korea
2Yonsei Pediatric Clinic, Korea - Correspondence Yu In YI Park ,Email: yipark@knh.co.kr
- Abstract
- Henoch-Schöenlein purpura, also known as anaphylactoid purpura, is characterized by palpable
purpura, colicky abdominal pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, arthralgias, and renal involvement.
Histopathologically, the condition represents a vasculitis, and in fact, it may be the most common
vasculitis syndrome affecting children. The pathogenesis of Henoch-Schöenlein purpura remains
poorly understood, but it is postulated that an unknown antigenic stimulus causes elevation of
circulating IgA and that complement activation leads to necrotizing vasculitis. All of its clinical
features are attributable to wide spread vasculits. Abdominal pain is the most common gastrointestinal
symptom, but intestinal bleeding and intussusception may occur. Mesenteric vasculitis is a
rare but potentially serious complication of systemic vasculitis. It is reported in association with
rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polyarteritis nodosa, and giant
cell arteritis in adult patients. Typical features are diffuse non-specific abdominal pain progressing
on occasion to gastrointestinal hemorrhage, perforation, or more rarely infarction. Fortunately intestinal
infarction is a rare complications, but if present carries a high chance of mortality, and
swift management of the underlying vasculitis is crucial. We describe here an unusual case of a
small intestinal infarction associated with Henoch-Schöenlein purpura caused by mesenteric vasculitis.
Keywords :Henoch-Schöenlein purpura, intestinal infarction