We report a case of the intestinal lesion in Henoch-Schonlein purpura, presented with an acute abdomen in a 4 year old boy. Five days after sudden colicky abdominal pain, skin purpura and painful joint swelling developed. These manifestations were associated with abdominal distension, hematemesis, hematochezia and hematuria. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a marked bowel distension with edema and patchy dark reddish discoloration of the jejunum and ileum. These patchy areas showed transmural hemorrhage and necrosis associated with characteristic leukocytoclastic vasculitis in and around the hemorrhagic lesions. These vasculitis was thought to be related to Henoch-Schonlein purpura.
Child, Preschool ; Edema/complications/pathology/surgery ; Gastrointestinal Diseases/*etiology/pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Leukocytosis/complications/pathology/surgery ; Male ; Pain/complications ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch/*complications/pathology/surgery

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is common in childhood and often self-limiting. There have been limited studies on elderly-onset HSP nephritis (HSPN). A 76-yr-old man was transferred to our hospital with a 1-month history of oliguria, abdominal pain, edema and palpable purpura in the legs. Three months ago, he was admitted to another hospital with jaundice, and consequently diagnosed with early common bile duct cancer. The patient underwent a Whipple's operation. Antibiotics were administrated because of leakage in the suture from the surgery. However, he showed progressive renal failure with edema and purpura in the legs. Laboratory investigations showed serum creatinine 6.4 mg/dL, 24-hr urine protein 8,141 mg/day, myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (MPO-ANCA) 1:40 and C3 below 64.89 mg/dL. Renal biopsy showed crescentic glomerulonephritis, as well as mesangial and extracapillary Ig A deposition. We started steroid therapy and hemodialysis, but he progressed to end-stage renal failure and he has been under maintenance hemodialysis. We describe elderly onset HSPN with MPO-ANCA can be crescentic glomerulonephritis rapidly progressed to end stage renal failure.
Aged ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic/*analysis ; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms/complications/surgery ; Complement C3/analysis ; Creatinine/blood ; Edema/drug therapy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glomerulonephritis/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency/etiology/pathology ; Steroids/therapeutic use