29th January 2024

Clinical features

Symptoms are typically more severe in adults compared to children. They develop over days to weeks with a widespread rash commonly noted over the backs of the legs, buttocks, trunk and back. This purpuric papular rash can coalesce into patches and cause ulceration in severe cases. Other patients may present with arthralgia, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Abdominal symptoms may be severe and be misdiagnosed as appendicitis. Complications of gastrointestinal involvement include intussusception, perforation and bowel infarction. Kidney involvement, such as macroscopic or microscopic haematuria along with proteinuria, will be present along with associated hypertension. This can progress to nephrotic or nephritic syndrome and renal failure. 

Image Source: Wikipedia. (2021). Henoch–Schönlein purpura, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henoch%E2%80%93Sch%C3%B6nlein_purpura (Accessed: 16 February 2022).