Application value of laboratory indexes in the differential diagnosis of Henoch-Schoenlein purpura.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the value of laboratory indexes in the differential diagnosis of Henoch-Schoenlein purpura (HSP).

METHODS

Patients with HSP hospitalized at the Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2010 and December 2014 were enrolled in this prospective study. In addition, septic patients with rash and patients with urticaria, simple hematuria, and acute appendicitis hospitalized during the same period were selected at random as differential diagnosis subjects, and healthy children were selected as normal controls. The levels of IgA, D‑dimer, fibrinogen (FIB), and platelet (PLT) and the platelet distribution width (PDW) of these individuals were tested and analyzed, and the ROC curve was used to determine the applicability of these indexes to differentiate between patients with HSP and other diseases easily confused with HSP, as well as to determine the efficacy of combined diagnosis.

RESULTS

There were remarkable differences in the levels of FIB, D‑dimer, IgA, PLT, and PDW among patients with HSP, sepsis patients with rash, patients with urticaria, simple hematuria, or acute appendicitis and healthy children (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The levels of IgA, D‑dimer, and PLT can be applied separately for the differential diagnosis of HSP, and these indexes and FIB can be combined appropriately to improve the diagnostic efficacy.