Henoch-Schonlein Purpura in 1-12 years old Children In Sulaimaniyah City , Kurdistan Regional Government Of Iraq

Abstract

Background: Henoch-Schönlein purpura is an acute immunoglobulin A (IgA)–mediated disorder characterized by a generalized vasculitis involving the small vessels of the skin,  gastrointestinal (GI) tract, kidneys, joints, and rarely the lungs and the central nervous system (CNS). Objectives: An attempt to identify the characteristics of this disease that is considered as quite common problem in our city, to identify the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory features and complications of HSP in our locality and to find the mode of treatments used by pediatricians and trying to uniform the management in a scientific way. Patients and Methods: Sixty five patients with HSP hospitalized in Sulaimaniyah pediatric Teaching Hospital in Kurdistan/ Iraq were included in this retrospective study from 1^st of January 2013 to 31^st of  December 2014; they were selected by  Case sheets based on the diagnosis of HSP at discharge time. Results: Of 65 patients, 37 (56.9%) were boys and 28 (43.1) were females, with a male to female ratio of 1.3:1. The patients’ ages ranged from (2 to 12) years, with a mean of 6 years. Approximately 61% of cases were presented during winter and spring. Upper respiratory tract infection preceded HSP in (36.9%) of the patients. The main clinical features included skin rash (100%), skeletal manifestation (66%), gastrointestinal manifestation (70.8%), renal involvement (26.16%), and Genital involvement (5.4%) in males. Fecal occult bloods were positive in 10/29(34.5%) of the patients. Forty one (63%) patients received corticosteroid therapy. Conclusions: There were no major differences in the epidemiological and clinical criteria of HSP in Sulaimaniyah with that most of similar studies done elsewhere. GIT involvement more common than skeletal involvement. Many patients had been treated with corticosteroid therapy.