Background: Little information is available on ureteral or vesical involvement in Henoch-Schönlein syndrome. To determine the features of this condition we performed a formal analysis of peer-reviewed scientific literature on this topic.
Methods: The US National Library of Medicine database was used as the data source. All articles published as full-length articles or letters were collected. Reports published in languages other than English, French, German, Italian or Spanish were not considered.
Results: We analyzed 32 reports describing 35 cases (24 male and 11 female subjects aged between 3.5 and 63, median 7.0 years) with ureteral (n = 30), vesical (n = 4), or both ureteral and vesical involvement (n = 1). The presentation included colicky abdominal pain, macroscopic hematuria (sometimes containing blood clots), urinary tract infection or urinary retention. The diagnosis of ureteral involvement was often fortuitous. Patients with vesical involvement were managed conservatively. However, the majority of those with ureteral involvement were managed surgically.
Conclusions: Ureteral or vesical involvement is unusual and likely underappreciated in Henoch-Schönlein syndrome. Improved recognition and wider appreciation of this involvement can help to avoid associated morbidity. Management must be individualized for each patient. A multidisciplinary approach may be of value in planning medical treatment, surgical intervention, and follow-up.