Intussusception as a rare manifestation of immunoglobulin A vasculitis: Risk factors and treatment.

Aim: To identify the risk factors associated with intussusception in children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV)-gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement and to evaluate the outcomes of medical treatment and surgical intervention and the course of patients with intussusception.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in 157 patients under 18 years of age who were followed up with the diagnosis of IgAV-GI tract involvement between January 2015 and September 2022. The characteristics of the patients who developed intussusception were evaluated in detail.

Results: One hundred and fifty-seven patients with GI tract involvement were included in the study. The mean age of patients with IgAV-GI tract involvement was 8.7 ± 3.7 years. The female-to-male ratio was 1:1.5. Intussusception was detected in 14 patients (8.9%). Two patients (14.3%) underwent surgery, and the remaining 12 patients (85.7%) had their medical therapy intensified. Patients with GI tract involvement were divided into two groups as with (n = 14) and without (n = 143) intussusception. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in the time from the onset of the first symptom of IgAV to the onset of steroids (P = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in age at onset of IgAV, gender distribution, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels.

Conclusions: The time from the onset of the first symptom of IgAV to the start of steroids is a risk factor for the development of intussusception in patients with IgAV-GI tract involvement. In these patients, medical treatment usually reduces intussusception without the need for surgical intervention.