Acute abdominal pain: Henoch-Schönlein purpura case in a young adult, a rare but important diagnosis

Abstract

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), also known as IgA vasculitis, is a systemic vasculitis which is the most common vasculitis in children. The incidence in adults varies from 3.4 to 14.3 cases per million. 1 The classic triad of symptoms include purpuric rash, arthritis and abdominal pain. We present the case of a 20-year-old male with HSP who presented with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain, followed by classical symptoms with an identified post-infectious aetiology.