Master Henoch-Schonlein Purpura with Picmonic for Medicine

HSP usually follows pharyngeal and upper respiratory tract infectons.

Lesions that appear as red or purple discolorations on the skin that do not blanch on applying pressure. Recruitment and activation of neutrophils within the vascular bed of skin cause a palpable cutaneous purpura, which is commonly only seen in small vessel vasculitis and commonly presents on the buttocks and legs but can also be seen on the face, arms, and trunk. Palpable purpura is always seen in HSP.

Arthralgia means joint pain that is caused by a non-inflammatory condition. Arthralgia is seen in HSP due to involvement of the joints.

Abdominal pain is a common symptom of HSP due to involvement of the vessels of the GI tract. Involvement of the GI tract can also cause intestinal hemorrhage and can present with black tarry stools.

Black, tarry stool is a sign of intestinal hemorrhage, usually in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.

The pathophysiology of HSP is similar to IgA nephropathy, including high serum levels of IgA and similar findings on renal biopsy. However, IgA nephropathy typically only involves the kidneys and has a predilection for young adults, while HSP is a systemic disease and involves other organs.