Analysis of clinicopathology and prognosis of childhood Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis with diffused endothelial cell proliferation / 中华肾脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis with diffused endothelial cell proliferation (DEP-HSPN) in children. Methods Data of 8 DEP-HSPN cases in Nanjing Children's Hospital within recent ten years were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological features, efficacy and prognosis were compared between DEP-HSPN cases and 48 cases of non-DEP-HSPN. Non-DEP-HSPN cases were divided into two groups according to the clinical classification or the pathological classification.Results (1) In DEP-HSPN, HSP developed nephritis within 4 to 15 days after the initial onset of purpuric rashes. Hematuria was present in all the 8 patients. The main clinical manifestation of DEP-HSPN was nephritic-nephrotic syndrome (4 cases), nephrotic level proteinuria (3 cases) and acute nephritic syndrome (1 case). Four cases had macrohematuria. Six cases had abdominal symptoms and two cases had arthritis. Pathology of all the cases showed grade Ⅲ-b lesion with diffused endocapillary proliferation and segmental necrotizing lesion of the capillary wall, always accompanied with intraglomerular inflammatory cell infiltration. Crescent was found in 4 cases. (2)Compared to non-DEP-HSPN grades Ⅲ, DEP-HSPN showed a shorter course of disease.Macrohematuria, heavy proteinuria, nephritic-nephrotic syndrome, and segmental necrotizing lesion of capillary wall were more common in DEP-HSPN. Compared to non-DEP-HSPN with nephrotic level proteinuria, DEP-HSPN had a lower rate of crescent. (3) Methylprednisolone pulse therapy in early stage, then prednisone combined with cyclophosphamide were used in the treatment of DEP-HSPN.After an average follow-up period of seven months, one patient showed complete remission, five showed persistent microhematuria, and two showed persistent microhematuria accompanied with minor proteinuria. No significant difference of prognosis was found between DEP-HSPN and nonDEP-HSPN. Conclusions DEP-HSPN has an acute onset. The main clinical manifestation of DEP-HSPN is nephritic-nephrotic syndrome and nephrotic level proteinuria, always accompanied with macrohematuria. Immunosuppressant treatment in the early stage of disease is effective for a short-term outcome.