Bullous Henoch-Schönlein Purpura in Children: A Report of 6 Cases and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is the most common vasculitis occurring in childhood. Clinical presentation involves the classic tetrad of abdominal pain, nonthrombocytopenic purpura, arthritis, and renal involvement. Dermatological manifestations of HSP are characteristic of the condition and consist of palpable purpura and edema of the lower extremities and buttocks. The clinical spectrum of HSP is highly variable; however, vesicles and bullae have rarely been reported as the presenting feature. To date, there are 14 case reports of bullous HSP in the literature in English. The authors report 6 additional cases of bullous HSP, including a recurrent case, presenting to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada.