AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY 1990 CRITERIA FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF

HENOCH-SCHONLEIN PURPURA: TRADITIONAL FORMAT

1. Palpable purpura: Raised lesions without associated thrombocytopenia.

2. Age less than 20: Patient age at disease onset.

3. Bowel angina: Characterized by diffuse abdominal pain which is increased postprandially and associated with bloody diarrhea. May mimic a surgical abdomen.

4. Classic histologic findings on skin biopsy: Reveals granulocytes in the walls of arterioles or venules.

Two of the four criteria are required to confirm the diagnosis. This classification scheme has a sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing Henoch-Schonlein purpura of approximately 87%.