Risk factors associated with IgA vasculitis with nephritis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis) progressing to unfavorable outcomes: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors associated with unfavorable outcomes in children with IgA vasculitis with nephritis (Henoch-Schőnlein purpura nephritis)(IgA-VN).

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for studies, published in English through February 2019. The data were extracted to perform pooled analysis, heterogeneity testing, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias analysis.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis showed that, older age at onset (WMD 1.77, 95% CI 0.35-3.18, p = 0.014), lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR; WMD -23.93, 95% CI -33.78- -14.09, p<0.0001), initial renal manifestations with nephrotic syndrome (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.12-2.70, p = 0.013), with nephritic-nephrotic syndrome (OR 4.55, 95% CI 2.89-7.15, p<0.0001) and renal biopsy with crescentic nephritis (International Study of Kidney Disease in Children [ISKDC] grades III-V) (OR 3.85, 95% CI 2.37-6.28, p<0.0001) were significant risk factors associated with poor outcomes in IgA-VN, whereas initial clinical features with hematuria (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16-0.69, p = 0.003) and mild proteinuria±hematuria (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.28-0.75, p<0.0001) were associated with progression to good outcomes. By contrast, gender, hypertension and initial renal manifestations of acute nephritic syndrome were not significantly associated with poor outcomes in IgA-VN.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis showed that older age at onset, lower GFR, initial renal features of nephrotic syndrome and nephritic-nephrotic syndrome and renal biopsy with crescentic nephritis (ISKDC grades III-V) were predictive of poor prognosis in children with IgA-VN.