Luciana B, Ilaria C, Isabella C, Gentile C, Grasso EA, Di Donato G, Francesco C, Verrotti A. Epidemiological and clinical aspects of immunoglobulin A vasculitis in childhood: a retrospective cohort study.
Ital J Pediatr 2021;
47:237. [PMID:
34911536 PMCID:
PMC8672591 DOI:
10.1186/s13052-021-01182-6]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
A retrospective study was conducted in order to investigate and describe the characteristics of Immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV), previously known as Henoch-Schӧnlein purpura, in the paediatric population of a community-based healthcare delivery system in the Italian region of Abruzzo.
Methods
This is a population-based retrospective chart review of the diagnosis of IgAV in children ages 0 to 18, admitted to the Department of Paediatrics of Chieti and Pescara between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2016. All children enrolled presented with clinical symptoms and laboratory findings and met the EULAR/PRINTO/PRES 2008 criteria.
Results
Two-hundred-eight children met the criteria for IgAV, with the highest incidence reported among children below 7-years of age. A correlation with recent infections was found in 64% of the cohort; the onset was more frequently during the winter and fall. Purpura had a diffuse distribution in the majority of patients; joint impairment was the second most frequent symptom (43%), whereas the gastrointestinal tract was involved in 28% of patients.
Conclusions
Hereby, we confirm the relative benignity of IgAV in a cohort of Italian children; with regards to renal involvement, we report a better outcome compared to other studies. However, despite the low rate of renal disease, we observed a wide use of corticosteroids, especially for the treatment of persistent purpura.
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