Adult IgA Vasculitis (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura): Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
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Adult IgA vasculitis, formerly Henoch-Schonlein purpura, affects small vessels. Skin, joints, intestines and kidneys may be involved, making kidney surveillance important.
What is Adult IgA Vasculitis (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura)?
The rash alone does not measure severity. Kidney involvement may be silent, and adults have a greater risk of chronic kidney disease than children.
Related reading: General information about IgA vasculitis.
Symptoms
Raised purple spots commonly affect the legs, with joint or abdominal pain. Blood or protein in urine may only become apparent on testing.
Causes
Immune deposits trigger vessel inflammation. An infection may precede symptoms, but a trigger is not always identified; the rash itself is not contagious.
Risk factors
The condition can develop at any age. Kidney involvement, hypertension and persistent urinary protein guide monitoring and treatment more meaningfully than rash appearance alone.
Diagnosis
Assessment includes blood pressure, kidney function and urinalysis, sometimes with skin or kidney biopsy. Monitoring continues after the rash improves according to an individualized plan.
Treatment
Treatment depends on symptoms and organ severity. Significant kidney disease needs nephrology-directed care; steroids are not routinely given to everyone to prevent nephritis.
Complications
Chronic kidney injury, bleeding or intestinal complications can occur, and episodes may recur. Skin improvement does not prove kidney risk has resolved.
Prevention
There is no proven way to prevent the disorder. Attend urine and blood-pressure checks and review pain medicines, especially with kidney involvement or gastrointestinal bleeding.
When to see a doctor
Severe abdominal pain, bloody stool, reduced urine or increasing swelling needs urgent assessment. Breathlessness or altered awareness warrants emergency care.