Severe hypertension without urinary abnormalities in a patient with Henoch-Schönlein purpura

Hypertension as a complication of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is almost uniformly accompanied by evidence of renal involvement, either decreased renal function or urinary abnormalities. We report a 4.5-year-old male with HSP who developed severe hypertension without other manifestations of glomerulonephritis, including no decline in renal function and no development of urinary abnormalities. Extensive evaluation for other identifiable causes for his hypertension was not productive. His hypertension resolved with the resolution of his HSP. This case demonstrates that patients with HSP may on occasion develop severe hypertension without other evidence of nephritis. An extensive evaluation for other causes of severe hypertension may be deferred in this setting until well after all other manifestations of HSP have resolved.