背景:荨麻疹性血管炎是一种临床病理实体,其定义为荨麻疹性病变的反复发作,持续超过24小时,并表现出白细胞碎裂性血管炎的组织病理学特征。最重要的预后特征是正常或低补体血症的存在。在后者中,患者更有可能出现系统性表现.荨麻疹性血管炎最常见的是特发性,但它可能与自身免疫性结缔组织病有关,冷球蛋白血症,感染,药物,和恶性血液病.
方法:我们介绍了一例61岁的白种人女性,皮肤出疹包括躯干和四肢红斑,持续超过24小时,但无症状。在我们的皮肤科首次出现时,皮肤喷发急性发作并持续3个月。穿刺活检显示浅层真皮有白细胞碎裂性血管炎的迹象。在实验室检查中,补体系统激活的迹象与低补体C3,C4和C1q,并具有高抗C1q抗体滴度。临床,组织学,和实验室结果符合低补体血症性荨麻疹性血管炎的诊断。用Farr方法测定的U1小核核糖核蛋白和高双链DNA也有一个阳性的抗核因子。在尿液分析中,发现明显的蛋白尿和大量血尿。肾活检显示局灶性新月体和局灶性肾小球系膜型肾小球损害,免疫球蛋白A呈完全阳性,免疫球蛋白G,和C1q,导致狼疮性肾炎III-A级(根据国际肾脏病学会/肾病理学学会2003年狼疮性肾炎分类)。患者接受了羟氯喹治疗,皮质类固醇,和低剂量静脉内环磷酰胺(Euro-Lupus方案)作为缓解诱导剂,其次是硫唑嘌呤作为缓解维持剂。这种治疗方案取得了良好的效果,完全清除皮肤病变并缓解狼疮性肾炎。
结论:对荨麻疹性血管炎进行临床病理识别并进行正确的皮肤外疾病筛查可导致严重器官受累的早期诊断,从而改善患者的预后。
BACKGROUND: Urticarial vasculitis is a clinicopathologic entity defined by recurrent episodes of urticarial lesions that persist > 24 hours and demonstrate the histopathologic features of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. The most important prognostic feature is the presence of normo- or hypocomplementemia. In the latter, patients are much more likely to have systemic manifestations. Urticarial vasculitis is most often idiopathic, but it can arise in association with autoimmune connective diseases, cryoglobulinemia, infections, medications, and hematologic malignancies.
METHODS: We present the
case of a 61-year-old Caucasian woman with a skin eruption that consisted of erythematous plaques on the trunk and limbs that lasted > 24 hours but were asymptomatic. The skin eruption had an acute onset and persisted for 3 months upon initial presentation in our dermatology department. A punch biopsy showed signs of a leukocytoclastic vasculitis in the superficial dermis. On laboratory examination, signs of activation of the complement system were found with low complement C3, C4, and C1q, and with a high anti-C1q antibody titer. The clinical, histological, and lab results fit the diagnosis of hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis. There was also a positive antinuclear factor with elevated U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein and high double-stranded DNA determined by Farr method. On urinalysis, marked proteinuria and massive hematuria were found. Kidney biopsy showed focal crescentic and focal mesangial type of glomerular damage with a full-blown positivity of immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, and C1q, leading to lupus nephritis class III-A (according to the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society 2003 classification of lupus nephritis). The patient was treated with hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, and low-dose intravenous cyclophosphamide (Euro-Lupus regimen) as remission-inducing agent, followed by azathioprine as remission-maintaining agent. This treatment regimen gave good results, with total clearance of the skin lesions and remission of the lupus nephritis.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinicopathologic recognition of urticarial vasculitis with correct screening for extracutaneous disease can lead to early diagnosis of serious organ involvement and thereby improve prognosis for the patient.