Can allergic purpura be inherited?

Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Allergic purpura is mostly caused by exposure to infections, medications, or foods, leading to skin and mucous membrane ecchymoses, which are essentially petechiae and a manifestation of vasculitis. It falls under autoimmune diseases, not genetic diseases, and thus is not contagious. Bacterial, viral, mycoplasmal, or parasitic infections are the most common causes. Secondarily, medications and foods can also trigger allergic purpura, such as high-protein foods like seafood and milk. Therefore, if there are symptoms like ecchymoses on the lower extremities accompanied by joint pain, or signs of blood in the stool or black stool, it is necessary to complete routine blood tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and autoimmune antibody tests to rule out other autoimmune diseases. During the acute phase, it is advisable to rest in bed, eat a light diet, avoid infection, and use corticosteroids for anti-allergy treatment if necessary.

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Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
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Can allergic purpura cause itching?

Allergic purpura is mainly seen in adolescents and children, with a higher incidence in spring and autumn. The most common cause is infection, followed by medications or food, which can also trigger an episode of allergic purpura. The most common symptoms include purpura on the skin and mucous membranes, abdominal pain, blood in stools, hematuria, or joint pain. The purpura primarily affects the limbs, rarely appears on the trunk, and is symmetrically distributed. At this time, the bleeding spots often have no symptoms, meaning there is no itching of the skin. However, when there is concomitant skin edema or hives, itching can occur.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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What should I do if I have allergic purpura and my legs hurt?

Patients with allergic purpura who experience leg pain indicate the development of the arthritic type of allergic purpura. Firstly, strict bed rest should be enforced in daily life to reduce the burden on the joints. Secondly, active treatment of the primary cause of allergic purpura should be pursued, which can include taking medications like desloratadine dispersible tablets to reduce the rash. Subsequently, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, such as diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets, can be taken to alleviate leg pain. If the symptoms do not significantly improve with these measures, the use of a small dose of corticosteroids may be considered if necessary. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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What medicine is taken for allergic purpura?

The medication for allergic purpura should be determined based on the severity of the patient's condition. If the patient only shows symptoms like rashes, the focus should be on reducing the rashes, and medications such as compound glycyrrhizin and desloratadine can be used for their anti-allergic effects. If the main clinical manifestation of allergic purpura is joint pain, some non-steroidal pain relief medications can be added for pain relief. However, if the patient primarily exhibits involvement of internal organs, such as gastrointestinal involvement in allergic purpura starting with abdominal pain, or kidney damage marked by significant proteinuria, then corticosteroids and immunosuppressants should be considered for treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor).

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is allergic purpura nephritis contagious?

Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis and allergic purpura are not infectious diseases; there is no contagious element involved. Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis is actually kidney damage caused by allergic purpura, which is an allergic disease itself. Patients suffer from an abnormal immune response in the body’s immune system after coming into contact with allergenic drugs or foods, leading to necrotizing vasculitis. This disease is unrelated to pathogens. Generally, there is no direct damage to the kidneys caused by a specific pathogen in this disease, nor do patients carry pathogens that can cause Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis, such as bacteria or viruses, thus making the disease non-contagious.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Symptoms of allergic purpura

Allergic purpura, which we generally divide into four types. The first type is the mildest, often primarily characterized by purpuric rash-like skin manifestations. The second type we call allergic purpura arthritis type, where patients, in addition to the typical rash, also experience joint pain symptoms. The third type we refer to as the renal type of allergic purpura, where patients often present primarily with hematuria and proteinuria, and urine tests typically indicate positive urinary protein. The fourth type we call the abdominal type of allergic purpura, where patients suffer from nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea as their main clinical manifestations.