Skip to main content
Log in

Corticosteroid therapy does not prevent nephritis in Henoch-Schönlein purpura

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
Pediatric Nephrology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nephritis occurs in 20%–50% of children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), and the onset of renal involvement may be delayed for weeks or months in a substantial proportion of patients. The present study was performed to determine whether corticosteroid therapy was effective in preventing delayed nephritis in children with HSP. The medical records of 69 children with HSP were reviewed. Nineteen patients had acute nephritis occurring from 1–12 days after the onset of other signs and symptoms. The remaining 50 patients had no evidence of acute renal involvement. Of these 50 patients, 20 were treated during the acute phase of the illness with corticosteroids, while 30 never received corticosteroid therapy. Delayed nephritis (>3 weeks following an initial normal urinalysis) occurred in 4 of 20 (20%) patients who received prior corticosteroid treatment, and in 6 of 30 (20%) patients who were not treated. These results indicate that early corticosteroid therapy does not prevent delayed nephritis in children with HSP.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Gairdner DG (1947) The Schönlein-Henoch syndrome (anaphylactoid purpura). Q J Med 17: 95–122

    Google Scholar 

  2. Saulsbury FT (1984) Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Pediatr Dermatol 1: 195–201

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Allen DM, Diamond LK, Howell DA (1960) Anaphylactoid purpura in children (Henoch-Schönlein syndrome). Am J Dis Child 99: 833–854

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Koskimes O, Sevgi M, Rapola J, Vilska J (1981) Henoch-Schönlein nephritis: long-term prognosis of unselected patients. Arch Dis Child 56: 482–484

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Stewart M, Savage JM, Bell B, McCord B (1988) Long term renal prognosis of Henoch-Schönlein purpura in an unselected childhood population. Eur J Pediatr 147: 113–115

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Meadow SR, Glasgow EF, White RHR, Moncrieff MW, Cameron JS, Ogg CS (1972) Henoch-Schönlein nephritis. Q J Med 163: 241–258

    Google Scholar 

  7. Levy M, Broyer M, Arsan A, Levy-Bentolia D, Habib R (1976) Anaphylactoid purpura nephritis in childhood: natural history and immunopathology. Adv Nephrol 6: 183–228

    Google Scholar 

  8. Austin HA, Ballow JE (1983) Henoch-Schönlein nephritis: prognostic features and the challenge of therapy. Am J Kidney Dis 2: 512–520

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Mills JA, Michel BA, Bloch DA, et al (1990) The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Arthritis Rheum 33: 1114–1121

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ashton H, Frenk E, Steyenson CJ (1971) The management of Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Br J Dermatol 85: 199–203

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Rosenblum ND, Winter HS (1987) Steroid effects on the course of abdominal pain in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Pediatrics 79: 1018–1021

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Buchanec J, Galanda V, Belakova S, Minarik M, Zibolen M (1988) Incidence of renal complications in Henoch-Schönlein purpura syndrome in dependence of an early administration of steroids. Int Urol Nephrol 20: 409–412

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Counahan R, Winterborn MH, White RHR, Heaton JM, Meadow SR, Bluett NH, Swetschin H, Cameron JS, Chantler C (1977) Prognosis of Henoch-Schönlein nephritis in children. BMJ 2: 11–14

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Yoshikawa N, White RHR, Cameron AH (1981) Prognostic significance of the glomerular changes in Henoch-Schönlein nephritis. Clin Nephrol 16: 223–229

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Saulsbury, F.T. Corticosteroid therapy does not prevent nephritis in Henoch-Schönlein purpura. Pediatr Nephrol 7, 69–71 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00861574

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00861574

Key words

Navigation