A case of Henoch-Schönlein purpura in a patient on hemodialysis

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a systemic vasculitis and characterized by the tissue deposition of IgA-containing immune complexes. A 50-year-old man with end-stage renal failure due to diabetic nephropathy on maintenance hemodialysis, presented purpura, hematuria, abdominal pain, and joint pain. He also presented a high fever with neutrophilia. Biopsy of skin lesions revealed inflammation of the small vessel accompanied by vascular IgA deposition. Based on the clinical symptoms and skin biopsy, we made the diagnosis of HSP. Oral prednisolone was administered resulting in an improvement of the clinical symptoms. A skin biopsy should be performed for histological and immunofluorescence studies in the case of clinical suspicion of HSP with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.