Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis Complicated with Clostridium difficile Infection: a Rare Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camelia Cojocariu ◽  
Carol Stanciu ◽  
Codrina Ancuta ◽  
Mihai Danciu ◽  
Stefan Chiriac ◽  
...  

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis, formerly called Henoch-Schönlein purpura, is a leukocytoclastic type of vasculitis affecting small vessels with a deposition of immune IgA complexes, clinically characterized by the classic tetrad of nonthrombocytopenic palpable purpura, arthralgia (or arthritis), and gastrointestinal and renal involvement. Although the cause of the disease remains unknown, immune complexes of IgA and unidentified antigens seem to play a central pathogenic role. The diagnosis is easily established in the presence of purpura, but may be challenging in its absence, especially when colicky abdominal pain precedes the cutaneous lesions. IgA vasculitis is usually a self-limited disease with a benign course and symptomatic treatment is sufficient for most; in severe cases, however, corticosteroids are necessary.We describe the case of a young adult male presenting with severe abdominal pain, vomiting and fever (38.4ºC). Clinical examination, abdominal ultrasound and plain abdominal radiography excluded an acute abdomen. The occurrence of arthralgia involving both knees and erosive duodenitis at endoscopy, 48 hours upon admission, suggested the diagnosis of IgA vasculitis, confirmed on the following day by the presence of typical purpuric rash on the lower extremities. Corticosteroid therapy led to the resolution of all gastrointestinal and joint manifestations as well as to a significant improvement of cutaneous purpura. However, during the 3rd week of corticosteroid treatment, the patient developed watery diarrhea and the clinical suspicion of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was confirmed. The treatment with metronidazole led to the resolution of diarrhea.The peculiarity of this case resides in several aspects: the gastrointestinal and joint manifestations preceded purpura, making diagnosis more difficult; CDI is an extremely rare complication of IgA vasculitis, being, in fact, the second case reported in adults in the literature.Abbreviations: CDI: Clostridium difficile infection; CRP: C-reactive protein; EGD: esophagogastroduodenoscopy; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; IgA: immunoglobulin A; WBC: white blood cell.

2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanui Park ◽  
Miji Lee ◽  
Jin Seon Jeong

Abstract Background Immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgA vasculitis) is one of the most common forms of vasculitis in children. It rarely occurs in adults. It is a systemic vasculitis with IgA deposition and is characterized by the classical tetrad of purpura, arthritis/arthralgia, gastrointestinal and renal involvement. Certain types of infections, and pharmacological agents have been reported to be associated with IgA vasculitis. Here, we describe a case of IgA vasculitis triggered by infective endocarditis in a patient undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Case presentation A 70-year-old man undergoing hemodialysis was admitted because of skin purpura, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and lower back pain. We suspected him as IgA vasculitis based on the clinical features and skin biopsy findings. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed infective endocarditis, which predisposed him to IgA vasculitis. He was treated with antibiotics and low-dose corticosteroids, which led to resolution of vasculitis. Conclusions This is the first case of IgA vasculitis triggered by infective endocarditis in a patient undergoing hemodialysis. Patients undergoing hemodialysis are at a high risk of infection because of immune dysfunction and frequent venipuncture. The incidence of infective endocarditis associated with IgA vasculitis is very low, but it has been repeatedly reported. Therefore, it is necessary to consider infective endocarditis in patients with clinical features that indicate IgA vasculitis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 232470962092556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda S. Weissman ◽  
Viral Sanjay Patel ◽  
Omar Mushfiq

Immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV), formerly known as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, is an immune-mediated small vessel vasculitis characterized by palpable purpura, arthralgia, abdominal pain, and renal disease. It is primarily a childhood disease and usually resolves spontaneously with supportive therapy. Treatment of IgAV in adults is controversial with no clearly established guidelines. We report a rare case of IgAV in an adult male who developed gut necrosis and perforation while receiving glucocorticoid therapy for treatment of acute glomerulonephritis. A 44-year-old male was admitted with joint pain, leg swelling, mild abdominal pain, and a diffuse rash. Laboratory values revealed acute kidney injury with significant proteinuria and hematuria. The patient was started on glucocorticoid therapy for suspected IgAV nephritis, which was confirmed by kidney biopsy. Several days later, he complained of worsening abdominal pain. Imaging demonstrated bowel ischemia and perforation requiring multiple abdominal surgeries. The patient was critically ill in the intensive care unit with worsening renal failure requiring dialysis. He was discharged a month later after gradual recovery with stable but moderately impaired kidney function. IgAV is less common in adults; however, the disease is more severe with a higher risk of long-term complications. Adult patients with renal involvement may benefit from glucocorticoid therapy in preventing progression to end-stage renal disease. However, glucocorticoids may mask the symptoms of abdominal complications like gut necrosis and perforation causing delay in diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, vigilance to detect early signs of gut ischemia is imperative when treating an adult case of IgAV nephritis with glucocorticoids.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Hideaki Yamabe ◽  
Mitsuaki Kaizuka ◽  
Satoru Tsunoda ◽  
Tasuku Nagasawa ◽  
Kazuo Nomura ◽  
...  

Henoch-Schönlein nephritis or immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis is characterized by purpura, arthralgia, abdominal pain, and glomerulonephritis with glomerular IgA deposition. Notably, the presence of purpura is essential to diagnose this disease. We report the case of a patient in whom proteinuria and haematuria were detected during screening tests and he was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy at 20 years of age. Corticosteroids were administered for 7 years and were subsequently tapered. At 35 years of age, he noticed purpura on his lower extremities and was diagnosed with anaphylactoid purpura. Following the appearance of purpura, urinalysis revealed an increase in urinary protein levels from 0.7 g/g creatinine (Cr) to 1.4 g/gCr, and his serum Cr levels increased from 1.1 mg/dL to 1.35 mg/dL. Two months later purpura subsided, and his urinary protein level and serum Cr level were restored to the former levels. Although the cause remains unknown, an interval may occasionally be observed between the appearance of purpura and urinary abnormalities. However, to our knowledge to date, a 15-year interval is the longest interval, in such cases, reported in the literature.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Maria Glenn Lecea ◽  
Daniela Aguilar Abisad ◽  
Ana Paredes ◽  
Arielle Hay

Abstract Background: Immunoglobulin A vasculitis is the most common form of vasculitis in children. The diagnosis is made clinically and patients will present with a rash, together with gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and renal system involvement. Progress in the classification of the systemic vasculitides has facilitated better understanding of the pathogenesis underlying these inflammatory conditions. Over the past year, several cases of IgA vasculitis have been reported in both children and adults in association with SARS-CoV2 infection, raising the question of whether there is any causal or even a synergistic association.Methods: This systematic review was performed following the guidelines of Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, SciELO and Google Scholar using the search terms “COVID-19” or “SARS-CoV-2" in combination with “IgA vasculitis”, or “Henoch-Schonlein Purpura”. We considered articles to be eligible for inclusion if they reported a case report or series of cases of IgA vasculitis associated with proven COVID-19 infection. We excluded cases from further review if the case reported was a patient older than 18 years. WHO causality assessment categories were used to standardize case causality. Results: After reviewing the complete article and applying our exclusion criteria, 12 articles describing 12 cases of COVID-19 associated IgA vasculitis in children were included. In 83% of the cases the diagnosis of COVID-19 was made on presentation of IgA symptoms or on presentation to seek medical care. In 17% of cases the SARS Cov-2 test was positive before IgA vasculitis symptoms presentation. The mean age of the patients was 7.3 years of age (SD ±4.8). Male to female ratio was 3:1. Lower extremity purpura was present in all 12 patients. Gastrointestinal manifestations were present in 7 patients. Oligoarthritis was present in 7 patients. Three patients presented renal involvement with hematuria/proteinuria. Conclusions: During the pandemic, several autoimmune phenomena have been described to co-occur with or following COVID-19. The exact role of COVID-19 in the development of these IgA-related diseases is still being explored. Our review of case series and case reports with standardized causality assessment identified 12 cases of IgA vasculitis associated with COVID-19 infection in children.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (02) ◽  
pp. 136-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milos Korac ◽  
Ivana Milosevic ◽  
Marko Markovic ◽  
Natasa Popovic ◽  
Milena Ilic ◽  
...  

Introduction: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. Severity of CDI is associated with advanced age and co-morbidities. The clinical spectrum varies from mild watery diarrhea to severe fulminant pseudomembranous colitis with complications. Methodology: This study conducted over a six-year period (2008 to 2013) included 510 patients treated at the University Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Belgrade, Serbia. In patients with a history of previous hospitalization and/or treatment with antimicrobial agents who developed diarrhea, the diagnosis was established with rapid tests for C. difficile toxin A and B and by stool culture for C. difficile (454 patients) or by endoscopic examination and histological analyses of the biopsy samples taken from the colonic mucosa (56 patients). Results: The mean age of patients was 67.71± 13.34 years. A total of 67.8% patients were older than 65 years. Over half (58.7%) of the patients were female. 93% had been previously hospitalized and/or had surgical interventions, during which they had been treated with antibiotics. In the clinical presentation spectrum, pseudomembranous colitis occurred in 51.0% .The mean duration of illness after the introduction of specific antibiotic therapy was 7.10 ± 4.88 days. Complications developed in 14 patients. The disease relapsed in 43 (8.4%). Thirty-two (6.3%) patients died, mostly due to co-morbidities. Conclusions: CDI is the most important cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in Serbia. The disease mainly affects elderly patients with co-morbidities. The incidence of complications is low and prognosis is age dependent and related to pre-existing diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 251-254
Author(s):  
Claudia Sadler ◽  
◽  
Cristopher Felix Brewer ◽  
Tehmeena Khan ◽  
Nicholas Murch ◽  
...  

Purple urine bag syndrome is a potentially alarming phenomenon caused by bacterial metabolism of urinary tryptophan into indigo (blue) and indirubin (red) pigments. We report the case of a 46-year-old female with an ileal conduit who presented with a 2 week history of abdominal pain and purple discolouration of her urine. In addition, we review the literature on purple urine bag syndrome, and identify potential new risk factors and management considerations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Venkata Ram Pradeep Rokkam ◽  
Gurusaravanan Kutti Sridharan ◽  
Rathnamitreyee Vegunta ◽  
Radhakrishna Vegunta ◽  
Umesha Boregowda ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented global health care crisis. COVID-19 patients are found to have increased thrombotic risk. Despite being on prophylactic anticoagulation, many develop serious arterial and venous thromboembolic events. Emerging reports indicate COVID-19 may be considered a novel risk factor for portal vein thrombosis. Although, intra-abdominal infections are identified as risk factors, clostridium difficile colitis has not been typically seen as a risk factor for PVT. We report a case of an elderly female with a recent diagnosis of COVID-19 and no prior history of cirrhosis or malignancy who presented with diarrhea due to clostridium difficile infection. She developed sudden onset severe abdominal pain during the course of hospitalization. Acute portal vein thrombosis was identified on CT imaging of the abdomen, and she improved well with therapeutic anticoagulation. Acute portal vein thrombosis usually results from a combination of local and systemic prothrombotic risk factors. The combination of local infection by clostridium difficile and COVID-19 coagulopathy led to development of portal vein thrombosis in our patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of portal vein thrombosis reported in a patient with clostridium difficile infection in the setting of COVID-19 coagulopathy. During the current pandemic, clinicians should strongly consider abdominal imaging in patients presenting with abdominal pain due to clostridium difficile infection in the setting of COVID-19 to rule out complications such as portal vein thrombosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of portal vein thrombosis prevent complications of portal hypertension and intestinal infarctions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S763-S764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Wolf ◽  
Krisztina Kalocsai ◽  
Claudia Fortuny ◽  
Stefan Lazar ◽  
Samantha Bosis ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), a common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, leads to substantial healthcare burden. In children and young adults, the incidence of CDI is increasing. Fidaxomicin (FDX) is a narrow-spectrum macrocyclic antibiotic treatment for CDI in adults, but pediatric data are limited. The primary objective of our study was to investigate safety and efficacy of FDX and vancomycin (VAN) in children. Methods Patients aged <18 years with new laboratory-confirmed CDI and diarrhea (watery diarrhea for patients aged <2 years, and ≥3 unformed bowel movements in 24 hours for patients aged ≥2 years) were enrolled in a randomized, investigator-blinded study. Participants were randomized (2:1) to 10 days of treatment with either FDX (oral suspension 32 mg/kg/day or tablets 200 mg BID) or VAN (oral liquid 40 mg/kg/day or capsules 125 mg QID). Concurrent use of other antibiotic treatment for CDI was not permitted. Randomization was stratified by age group. The primary efficacy endpoint was confirmed clinical response (CCR) at Day 12 (absence of diarrhea for 2 consecutive days on treatment and remaining well until treatment discontinuation). Other efficacy endpoints were also evaluated. Results Of 142 patients in the full analysis set (FDX n = 98; VAN n = 44), 30 were aged <2 years, 48 were aged 2 to <6 years, 36 were aged 6 to <12 years and 28 were aged 12 to <18 years. At baseline, 28.6% of the FDX arm and 22.7% of the VAN arm had prior confirmed CDI. Overall, 73.5% of the FDX arm and 75.0% of the VAN arm had ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event. There were three deaths in the FDX arm during the study and two deaths in the VAN arm after end of study (post-Day 40); none were related to treatment. There was a trend to improved CCR and other efficacy outcomes for FDX (figure) and this was statistically significant for global cure (adjusted difference 18.8%; 95% CI 1.5%, 35.3%). Conclusions There was a consistent trend for improved efficacy outcomes with FDX compared with VAN, as shown by the adjusted treatment differences, although the small sample size precluded conclusions on most outcome differences. Figure. Disclosures J. Wolf, Astellas Pharma: Consultant and Non-Financial Support, Consulting fee and This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . K. Kalocsai, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . C. Fortuny, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . S. Lazar, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . S. Bosis, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . B. Korczowski, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . A. Petit, Astellas Pharma: Non-Financial Support, This study was initiated and sponsored by Astellas. Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . D. Bradford, Astellas Pharma: Employee and Non-Financial Support, Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. and Salary. E. Incera, Astellas Pharma: Employee of Iqvia, a CRO contracted by Astellas, Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. . J. Melis, Astellas Pharma: Employee and Non-Financial Support, Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. and Salary. R. Van Maanen, Astellas Pharma: Employee and Non-Financial Support, Medical writing support was provided by Cello Health MedErgy and funded by Astellas. and Salary.


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