Objective: To study the difference in clinico-pathological features between IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in children.
Methods: The medical data of 103 children with HSPN and 61 children with IgAN were retrospectively studied.
Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex and disease course between the HSPN and IgAN groups (P>0.05). Clinical classification demonstrated that more severe conditions were found in the IgAN group than in the HSPN group and gross hematuria was more common in the IgAN group (P<0.05). Serum creatinine and cholesterol levels were higher in the IgAN group than in the HSPN group (P<0.05). Fibrinogen-related antigen deposition was more common in the HSPN group, while complement 3(C3) deposition was more common in the IgAN group. Interstitial fibrosis, tubular casts and tubular inflammatory infiltration were also more common in the IgAN group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Significant clinico-pathological differences can be found between HSPN and IgAN in children, and these differences do not support a one disease entity hypothesis.