[Massive colonic bleeding and crescentic glomerulonephritis in an elderly man with Henoch-Schönlein purpura]

A 79-year-old man with an artificial anus constructed during surgical repair of colon perforation of unknown etiology in 1995 was admitted to our hospital for sudden appearance of purpura in the lower extremities. Two weeks before admission, he complained of flu-like symptoms and abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP), which responded to treatment with 30 mg day oral prednisolone (PSL). Subsequently, however, rapid deterioration of renal function associated with severe hematuria and proteinuria was noted. Renal biopsy on hospitalization day 14 showed cellular crescent formation in more than half of the glomeruli with granular deposits of IgA, C3 and fibrinogen in the mesangium and on the capillary walls. PSL was tapered to 20 mg day from hospitalization day 14 because of a further decrease in purpura and a decrease in C-reactive protein. On hospitalization day 19, serum creatinine increased to 3.1 mg dL and a massive bloody stool was observed. Colonoscopy revealed extensive oozing from the colonic mucosa around the artificial anus. Since the bleeding was considered to result from HSP activity, methylprednisolone pulse therapy was applied, followed by increasing the dose of oral PSL to 30 mg/day. Co-administration of cyclophosphamide (25 mg day) from hospitalization day 39 led to improvement of renal dysfunction and a decrease in proteinuna at the outpatient clinic.