Clinical and pathological features of children with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura nephritis: risk factors associated with poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the risk factors related to prognosis in patients with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura nephritis (HSPN), we investigated the cases with HSPN on long-term observation.

METHODS

We enrolled 114 patients who had been diagnosed with HSPN from 1974-1997. These patients were divided into 2 groups based upon features at last follow-up. One group, designated "favorable", consisted of 69 patients with normal urine and 25 patients with minor urinary abnormalities, and the second group, designated "unfavorable", consisted of 15 patients with active renal disease and 5 patients with renal failure. The clinical features, laboratory data and pathological findings were investigated in 2 groups.

RESULTS

Nephrotic syndrome, decreased factor XIII activity, hypertension and renal failure at onset were more frequent in "unfavorable" than in "favorable". The rate of glomeruli with crescents, macrophage infiltrations, tubulointerstitial changes and acute exacerbation in "unfavorable" were higher than those in "favorable". There were 5 cases with renal insufficiency, and renal survival rate was 95.6% for over 15 years.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the above mentioned risk factors play an important role in prognosis of the patients with active renal disease and renal failure.