Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP, Anaphylactoid Purpura) Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment on MedicineNet.com

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Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP)
or
Anaphylactoid Purpura

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Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editors: Dennis Lee, MD, and Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Featured patient discussions on Henoch-Schonlein purpura

"I was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura when I was 18, so about six years ago now. It was in the autumn months, which is when it is more prevalent. I initially suffered from a viral infection. Later that week, I developed pains in my abdominal area, and then came down with the meningitis-like rash. I was in the hospital for three weeks. All the symptoms described, I have had. However, I am or was one of the few who got renal failure as a result. It is believed to be chronic and not end stage. However, I am on continuing medication as a result. The thing I have found as a result of my diagnosis, is that I can't eat spicy food or red meat. My metabolism has slowed to a point that I am more prone to putting on weight than I used to be. This is one of those diseases that puzzle even the most genius of specialists. Bar the diet, I still get to live a relatively normal life."

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Top Searched Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Terms:

complications, treatment, vasculitis, nephritis, abdominal pain, skin rash, arthritis, hematuria

Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment.
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What is Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP)?

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a form of blood vessel inflammation or vasculitis. There are many different conditions that feature vasculitis. Each of the forms of vasculitis tends to involve certain characteristic blood vessels. HSP affects the small vessels called capillaries in the skin and frequently the kidneys. HSP results in skin rash (most prominent over the buttocks and behind the lower extremities) associated with joint inflammation (arthritis) and sometimes cramping pain in the abdomen. Henoch-Schonlein purpura is also referred to as anaphylactoid purpura.

What causes HSP?

HSP occurs most often in the spring and frequently follows an infection of the throat or breathing passages. HSP seems to represent an unusual reaction of the body's immune system that is in response to this infection (either bacteria or virus). Aside from infection, drugs can also trigger the condition. HSP occurs most commonly in children, but people of all age groups can be affected.

What are symptoms of HSP?

Classically, HSP causes skin rash, pain in the abdomen, and joint inflammation (arthritis). Not all features need be present for the diagnosis. The rash of skin lesions appears in gravity-dependent areas, such as the legs. The joints most frequently affected with pain and swelling are the ankles and the knees. Patients with HSP can develop fever. Inflammation of the blood vessels in the kidneys can cause blood and/or protein in the urine. Serious kidney complications are infrequent but can occur.

Symptoms usually last approximately a month. Recurrences are not frequent but do occur.

How is HSP diagnosed?

HSP is usually diagnosed based on the typical skin, joint, and kidney findings. Throat culture, urinalysis, and blood tests for inflammation and kidney function are used to suggest the diagnosis. A biopsy of the skin, and less commonly kidneys, can be used to demonstrate vasculitis. Special staining techniques (direct immunofluorescence) of the biopsy specimen can be used to document antibody deposits of IgA in the blood vessels of involved tissue.