Demographical characteristics and etiological factors of leukocytoclastic vasculitis

Aim: Vasculitis is the inflammation of a vessel wall. The aim of this study is to determine the clinical, demographicalcharacteristics, etiological factors and treatment options in 75 patients who have been diagnosed asleukocytoclastic vasculitis at our clinic between 2008 and 2012.Materials and Methods: Patients who were clinicallyand histopathologically diagnosed as leukocytoclastic vasculitis at our clinic between the years 2008 and 2012 havebeen included in the study. Each patient?s medical record was reviewed in relation to age, sex, clinical history andexamination, presence of systemic symptoms, possible aetiological factors, laboratory results, type of thecutaneous lesions, localization of the lesions, histopathological evaluation, treatment options and disease course.Laboratory analysis of patients included CBC, ESR, liver and kidney function tests, anti-streptolysin O (ASO),antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti double stranded DNA (dsDNA), C- reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, anti HIVserology, hepatic markers, cryoglobulins, urine analysis, fecal occult blood, chest X-ray and abdominal ultrasound.For statistical analysis Student?s T test, Chi-square test and Fischer?s exact test were used. Value of P less than0.05 was considered statistically significant. The statistical analysis was carried out using ths Statistical Package forthe Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.Results: There were 43 female patients and 32 male patients. The ages of our patients at the onset of disease ranged from 4 to 86 years (mean age 43.86 years). Cutaneous lesions affectedthe only lower limbs in a total of 60 of the 75 patients (% 80) and usually presented as palpable purpura (%64,n=48). Arthralgia (26.7%, n=20) and stomach ache (18.6%, n=14) were, the most frequent extracutaneoussymptoms. Of the patients with secondary vasculitis, the most common causes were infections and drugs. Themean age of the patients with HSP was 26.8 and the disease was more frequently demonstrated in winter seasons.There was no statistically association between age groups and renal involvement, gastrointestinal systeminvolvement and joint involvement.Conclusion: The results consistent with the literature are as follows;leukocytoclastic vasculitis was diagnosed at the age of 40?s, with the palpable purpuras on the lower extremitieswithout any further symptoms. In most of the patients in our study, it appeared to be idiopathic and among themedicines, antibiotics have been determined to be the most common etiological factor. Leukocytoclastic vasculitishad been associated with connective tissue diseases and malignancies. Increased level of ESR was found to be themost common laboratory finding. Henoch Schoenlein Purpura(HSP) was seen more in male patients and in winterseason. Inconsistent with the literature, leukocytoclastic vasculitis was seen more in women, and in HSP patients,we found out that the renal involvement was not directly proportional with the age; renal involvement was nothigher in older HSP patients