ABSTRACT
We report a case of a 63 year old woman with progressive small red spots that can not be diminished with pressure. They appeared on the feet first and spread out to the legs, trunk and arms. This was accompanied with non-bloody diarrhoea and the laboratory diagnostics showed minor impairment of the kidney. The biopsy of the skin showed deposits of immunoglobulin A and C3 complement in the stratum papillare of the small vessels and a necrosis of the wall, which made the diagnosis of the Schönlein-Henoch purpura clear. It was accompanied by a systemic participation of the gastrointestinal tract. The quick reversible renal insufficiency was rather interpreted as a prerenal cause, than as an origin of the Schönlein-Henoch purpura. We further discussed the diagnostic methods, the aetiology and the possible therapy options.