Henoch Schonlein purpura with nephritis in adults: adverse prognostic indicators in a UK population

HSN in adults is a serious relapsing disease, causing renal failure as frequently as in small-vessel ANCA-positive vasculitides. Prognosis and risks differed in this series from those in other countries, including a higher risk of ESRF than in previous series. Distinct groups developed either ESRF, or remitted. The absence of clear benefit suggests that corticosteroids should be reserved for patients with serious disease, and that cytotoxics may not be merited for those at high risk of renal failure.