Schönlein-Henoch purpura. Case report

Abstract

Introduction: Schönlein-Henoch purpura is a systemic vasculitis. It is manifested by skin lesions of the urticarial, papuliform, and purpuropetechial type, which can necrotize sometimes in confluent forms and others as blisters. Its joint manifestations vary from arthralgia to polyarthritis, almost always resolved without sequelae.

Objective: to present the case of an adult patient, with clinical manifestations of Schönlein-Henoch purpura, compatible with the diagnostic criteria established by the European League against Rheumatic Diseases and the European Society for Pediatric Rheumatology.

Case presentation: female patient, white, 54 years old and asthmatic. Two weeks earlier she was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, treated with antibiotics. Subsequently, he had a fever of 38 °C, taking the general state and appeared purpuric-petechial violaceous lesions, not pruritic, in the abdomen and upper and lower limbs. Based on the personal history, clinical picture, findings of the physical and complementary examinations, she was diagnosed with Schönlein-Henoch purpura with glomerulonephritis that progressed to acute renal failure. With timely treatment it was possible to reverse the condition and the patient was followed by specialists.

Conclusions: the patient presented clinical manifestations of Schönlein-Henoch purpura (palpable purpura, skin necrosis, arthritis and renal involvement), compatible with the established diagnostic criteria. The temporal relationship, the evolution of the disease and the results of the complementary tests showed that it was a Schönlein-Henoch purpura induced by respiratory infection or by the antibiotics used, which is uncommon in daily clinical practice