RARE CASE OF HENOCH–SCHÖNLEIN PURPURA IN A 34-YEAR OLD MALE

Abstract

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), also known as IgA vasculitis, primarily affects children but can also occasionally present in adults. The symptoms are thought to result from the deposition of IgA in the walls of blood vessels within various organs, most commonly the skin, gastrointestinal tract, joints, and kidneys. Here, we report a case of a 34-year-old man who developed severe abdominal pain resembling acute appendicitis two weeks after a viral gastrointestinal infection and administration of cefoperazone-sulbactam antibiotic. The diagnosis of HSP was established based on a progression of symptoms, including severe abdominal pain, arthralgias, melena, and a distinctive non-blanching rash on the trunk and lower extremities. This report will detail the diagnostic workup and treatment approach that resulted in symptom resolution in this unusual adult presentation of HSP.