What is hsp autoimmune disease

You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists. Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved. Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services.

Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD. These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms.

The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional. Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others.

We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question. I was first diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura at age The disease has been occurring more frequently and worsening over the past 10 years.

It is my understanding that this condition is not as common in adults as it is in children. I am treated with steroids when needed, but I am trying to find out if there are any other effective treatments for this condition. Do you know of any treatment alternatives, preventions, or research studies that may be helpful? Have there been any genetic studies? Do I need to fear that my children will get this disease? See answer. National Institutes of Health.

COVID is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Menu Search Home Diseases Henoch-Schonlein purpura. You can help advance rare disease research! This site is in-development and may not reflect the final version. Preview the new GARD site. Other Names:. Summary Summary. Symptoms Symptoms. Showing of 32 View All.

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Henoch-Schonlein purpura HSP. Overview HSP, also known as IgA vasculitis, is characterized by inflammation of the small blood vessels located in the skin, joints, intestines, and kidneys, sometimes accompanied by bleeding.

Risk Factors Those between the ages of 4 and 6 are most commonly affected. Sources Article Sources and Footnotes Crown. HSP can cause vomiting and abdominal pain, and blood may appear in the stool. Abdominal cramps and pain are usually worse at night. Pain and swelling may occur in the knee and ankle joints, but it can also occur in the elbows and wrists.

Blood in the urine is an indication that HSP has affected the kidneys. Protein in the urine or high blood pressure can suggest more severe kidney problems. The HSP can affect the central nervous system , which can result in people experiencing headaches , convulsions, and seizures. There is no reliable test for HSP, and it may be confused with other forms of vascular inflammation. A doctor will instead look for a combination of symptoms that collectively point to an HSP diagnosis.

For example, a combination of symptoms, including a rash, abdominal pain, and arthritis, usually indicates the presence of HSP. Diagnosis of HSP is even more likely if there are antibody deposits on the skin. The presence of blood or protein in the urine usually indicates a kidney problem and could point to the presence of HSP if a rash is also present.

There is currently no cure for HSP, but in most cases, the symptoms will resolve without treatment. A person may take steps to relieve and manage any joint pain, abdominal pain, or swelling they are experiencing. In some cases, prescription steroid drugs may help reduce swelling of the soft tissues. If the kidneys are severely affected, then immunosuppressive medications may be prescribed.

In rare cases, hospitalization may be required for abdominal pain, bleeding from the digestive tract, or kidney problems. Tiny blood vessels in the body become inflamed or swollen. HSP happens in people of all ages, but is most often seen in children under 10 years of age. It is not contagious, so cannot be passed on to other people.

Children with HSP get red or purple raised spots on their skin. Most children start to feel better after several days or a few weeks, and the rash and other symptoms disappear. HSP occasionally comes back, usually within a few months, and may need further treatment.

A few children have long-term problems, especially when their kidneys are affected. They will need to be monitored and may need specialist treatment. Common symptoms and signs of HSP include:. Very rarely, the kidney problems get worse quickly rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis , and this may cause the kidneys to stop working over a short time acute kidney injury. More information about symptoms and complications. HSP is linked to the immune system , which normally protects the body from infections and disease.

Many children with HSP first get symptoms with or after an infection — usually in the throat or tonsils. HSP is a systemic condition — this means it affects different parts of the body. The blood vessels swell and leak fluid into the tissues around the blood vessels, causing the symptoms.

Most of us have two kidneys. They are part of the urinary system, which gets rid of things that the body no longer needs, so that we can grow and stay healthy. The kidneys filter blood and remove extra water, salt and waste in urine wee.

More about the kidneys and urinary system. In about half of children with HSP, the kidneys are affected. The tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, which filter blood to remove extra water, salt and waste into the urine, become inflamed. This is sometimes called HSP nephritis. Your child will need some tests to diagnose HSP and find out whether he or she needs any treatment. Your child will need one or more urine tests.

He or she may need other tests, such as blood tests and an ultrasound scan. Special medicines are used so your child does not feel any pain or can sleep through the procedure. Your child will probably be treated in a paediatric unit, a special part of your hospital for children. He or she will be looked after by a paediatrician , a doctor who treats babies, children and young people.

Your child may need to stay in hospital for a few days or longer. However, children with HSP usually have most of their care as outpatients , visiting the hospital during the day. A few children with HSP are referred to a paediatric renal unit , a specialised unit that treats babies, children and young people with kidney problems and may be in a different hospital to your own.

Your child will be looked after by a team, including a paediatric nephrologist, a doctor who treats children with kidney problems. Most children do not need special treatment. To relieve pain, your child may take medicines such as paracetamol e.

Do not give your child ibuprofen e. Brufen as it can cause further damage to his or her kidneys. Some children need to make temporary changes to what they eat or drink, or take medicines to try to reduce the amount of protein lost in their urine, control their blood pressure or treat any complications.

In most children, the symptoms and signs of HSP go away within one month, though some children will have problems for three months or even longer. The purpura on the skin disappears — and usually does not leave any scars — and the joint pain and tummy pain go away. This is called remission. In a few children, the symptoms and signs come back, usually within one year.

This is called a relapse. These children may need further treatment. Your child will probably need to be seen regularly by a doctor for some weeks, to check for any problems with his or her kidneys.

After your child recovers, he or she may need follow-up appointments once a year for urine tests and blood pressure measurements. If your child has acute kidney injury when the kidneys stop working properly , he or she will need follow-up throughout their life. Some children continue to have haematuria blood in their urine — this usually cannot be seen but is picked up on a urine test. Up to 15 children in continue to have proteinuria protein in the urine one year after the initial episode of HSP — they will need to be monitored.

A small number of children less than 5 in with HSP have long-term problems with their kidneys — this is called chronic kidney disease CKD. Their kidneys stop working as well as they should — this happens slowly over many years. If your child has CKD, you will learn more over time about how to help manage the condition, and what to expect.

All children with HSP have purpura , red or purple spots, over their skin, which look like a rash. These spots are usually raised so you can feel them we say they are palpable. They are usually in groups and symmetrical they look the same on both sides.

The purpura usually appear on the feet and ankles, legs, buttocks, lower back and arms. Children under 2 years may also have purpura on their head, chest and back. Your child may get more purpura as time goes on. The purpura happens when the small blood vessels under the skin get inflamed and leak blood into the surrounding tissues. Your doctor or nurse will give you more information about anything you need to do to. They may be able to reassure other families that the rash cannot be passed on.

In most children with HSP, the purpura goes away after several weeks, though some will have a rash for a few months or longer. It is rare for the purpura to leave any scars. This usually happens in their knees and elbows, and sometimes their ankles and wrists.

Many children with HSP have abdominal pain pain in the tummy. This happens when small blood vessels in the lining of the stomach and the intestines gut leak blood. Your child may:. In a few children with HSP, one part of the bowel intestine slides into the next part — this is called intussusception.

This is like the parts of a telescope folding into each other. The walls of the intestine can press against each other and create a blockage, which can lead to swelling and less blood flowing into the affected areas.

It usually happens suddenly. Your doctor can diagnose intussusception by doing a physical examination and doing tests, including blood tests and imaging tests scans. Children with intussusception will need treatment at a hospital. This may be a type of enema pushing air or liquid into the back passage to cure the blockage or surgery. Your doctor will give you more information. Very rarely, the brain, or lungs are affected.

Children with HSP affecting the brain can appear confused or unresponsive or can have fits seizures. If the lungs are affected then this can causing bleeding in the lungs. These are very rare and will need treatment in a hospital. If this is the case your doctor will give you more information.. In about half of children with HSP, the kidneys are affected, leading to the following. These may not happen for some days or weeks after the above symptoms.