Abstract

Henoch-Schönlein immune vasculitis can include in its clinical signs and symptoms up to four syndromes. Skin and the subcutaneous tissues are always affected through pathognomonic purpura (specific) as well as (in various situations): artritis of major joints, the gastrointestinal tract damage or, rarely, the kidney’s injury.

The authors put forward a study concerning 31 patients (16 boys, 15 girls) with the diagnosis of H-S vasculitis, who were admitted in the First Paediatrics Clinic, Craiova, in the 2007–2016 time period.

Out of all, two clinical cases were selected: CF, 15 year old patient, admitted in 2008 with H-S gastrointestinal syndrome vasculitis, and SAD, 6 year old preschooler, who featured all four clinical syndromes, including the renal affection. CF needed corticosteroid therapy – 7 days out of the 18 day hospitalisation period, as well as gastritis treatment, while patient S.A.D. reacted favourably to the 10 day Prednisone course, only as far as the cutaneous purpura and articular syndrome are concerned. The glomerulonephritis diagnosed in SAD., difficult to differentiate from an impure nephrotic syndrome, healed in the following month, after stoping the Prednisone medication.

The four syndromes described within H-S vasculitis were diagnosed in a single patient – S.A.D., the rest predominantly having digestive syndrome (12 cases), as well as articular syndrome (18 cases). ASO had pathological values (between 400–2500 U) in 27 patients.

Corticosteroid therapy facilitated the healing of purpura and gasto-intestinal syndrome, proving itself inefficient in the glomerulonephritis as in medical literature.