The Usefulness of Video Capsule Endoscopy in Evaluating Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis

[Analysis of clinical characteristics of Henoch-Schonlein purpura patients from different altitudes in plateau areas]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) patients from different altitudes in Tibet plateau areas of China.

METHODS

A retrospective study was used to analyze the 190 HSP patients admitted to Tibet Autonomous Region People ' s Hospital form April 2014 to May 2021. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the altitude of long-term residence before onset and the clinical data at different altitudes were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the age of onset and gender in HSP patients at different altitudes (P>0.05). The HSP patients in high altitude areas were more likely to have digestive symptoms (P < 0.01). The patients were more likely to have kidney or joint involvement at higher altitudes. The platelets [(512.1±55.0)×10⁹ /L] and C reactive protein [11.2 (5.7, 19.4) g/L] in high altitude areas were significantly higher than at medium altitudes [(498.3±76.9)×10⁹ /L and 9.5 (4.6, 13.5) g/L] and lower altitudes [(456.4±81.2)×10⁹/L and 3.7 (0.2, 8.9) g/L] respectively. The effective rate of treatment was 98.9%, while there was no significant difference of outcome from different altitudes (P>0.05). The patients who were repeatedly hospitalized all had kidney involvement and no immunosuppressive agents were added in the initial treatment.

CONCLUSION

HSP is common in high altitude areas. There was little difference in age of onset and gender at different altitudes. Abdominal pain was the most common clinical manifestation. Patients in high altitude areas were more likely to have severe abdominal problems. Kidney involvement may be poor prognostic factor. Early application of glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressive agents can effectively control the disease and reduce the recurrence of HSP.

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis with cutaneous and systemic (intestinal) involvement. Diagnosis by capsule endoscopy

A 26-year-old male diagnosed with cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis was admitted due to abdominal pain and rectal bleeding with slight clinical-analytical impact. On examination, he presented multiple palpable purpuric lesions on his legs.

The characteristics of video capsule endoscopy in pediatric Henoch-Schönlein purpura with gastrointestinal symptoms

BACKGROUND

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic small-vessel vasculitis also named IgA vasculitis that commonly affects the gastrointestinal tract. The video capsule endoscopy (VCE) characteristics of pediatric HSP patients are rarely reported.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with HSP and analyzed by VCE examination at our hospital from February 2010 to January 2019 are enrolled. The clinical features, laboratory findings, and the characteristics of VCE findings are studied.

RESULTS

There are 30 patients enrolled in this investigation from February 2010 to January 2020. The mean age of these patients is 96.9 ± 35.8 months, and the most frequent finding of VCE is mucosal erosion, which account for 79.3% of the patients, and followed by mucosal erythema or petechia accounted for 69% of the patients. Regarding the disease location detected by endoscopy, jejunum is the most common involved part of the gastrointestinal tract in pediatric HSP patients. All the patients had the jejunum involved except in one patient the VCE did not pass through the pylorus. One third of the patients involved the descending portion of duodenum. No side effect is observed in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

VCE may be an excellent adjust tool for evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract in children with abdominal symptoms without typical purpura in suspected pediatric HSP patients. VCE appears to be superior to esophagogastroduodenoscopy in detecting small intestinal lesions of HSP and has an excellent safety profile.