title: Longitudinal study of microvascular involvement by nailfold capillaroscopy in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura.
abstract: The aim of this study is to describe by video-nailfold capillaroscopy the microvascular involvement and capillary changes in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSp) and to establish a possible correlation with clinical outcome. Thirty-one patients underwent capillaroscopic evaluation through a videomicroscope during the acute phase and after 6 months. Twenty sex/age-matched controls were also examined. All capillaroscopic variables were statistically examined in combination with laboratoristic/clinical data. Architectural and morphological changes recorded during the acute phase were statistically significant in comparison to the controls (p < 0.01). At the follow-up, oedema was still observed in all patients, whereas, morphological changes only in two. There was a no significant correlation between capillaroscopy changes, laboratoristic/clinical data, and outcome. Video-nailfold capillaroscopy can be a simple tool to evaluate microvascular abnormalities in the acute phase of HSp, and the persistence of oedema could suggest an incomplete disease resolution at a microvascular level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy. anna.zampetti@gmail.com
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zampetti
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rigante
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rendeli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feliciani
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stabile
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002196:Capillaries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011695:IgA Vasculitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D020678:Microscopic Angioscopy; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology