| Theme | Vascular Disorder of Gastro-intestinal Tract | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Henoch-Schönlein Purpura | |
| Publish Date | 2010/05 | |
| Author | Shu Tanaka | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| Author | Yukie Yamada | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| Author | Tsuyoshi Kobayashi | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| Author | Keigo Mitsui | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| Author | Shunji Fujimori | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| Author | Choitsu Sakamoto | Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Nippon Medical School |
| [ Summary ] | Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a form of systemic, generalized vasculitis. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms occur in about 80 % of patients. GI symptoms precede other manifestations in 14 % of patients. Delays in diagnosis may lead to severe problems such as intestinal perforation. Therefore, it is necessary to know the characteristics of HSP in cases with GI involvement. Although, the second part of the duodenum has been reported to be predominantly affected, our data demonstrate that most sites in the small intestine are affected and the endoscopic findings of the small intestine do not differ from those in other segments of the GI tract. Double balloon endoscopy (DBE) and capsule endoscopy (CE) have enabled us to observe the total number of sites in the small intestine. We expect that DBE and CE will help us elucidate the endoscopic characteristics of the GI tract in relation to HSP in the near future. | |