A 21-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of severe abdominal pain.
Abdominal computed tomography scanning revealed an edematous wall extending from the duodenum through the jejunum. The patient reported progressive worsening of abdominal discomfort. After 4 days of hospitalization, purpura of the ankle was observed. Investigation by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) demonstrated the edematous wall, as well as erosion and ulceration of the duodenum ; therefore we diagnosed him as Henoch-schönlein Purpura (HSP) .
Treatment with high-dose steroids led to rapid alleviation of symptoms. The steroid dose was gradually tapered, and the patient was discharged from hospital 35 days after admission.
Adult HSP in not popular because HSP is generally occurred in a childhood.
EGD can be useful in the diagnosis of adult HSP, especially for patients without the typical skin rash.
