Patient's question:
My son was diagnosed with joint purpura six weeks ago. After hormone treatment, his joint symptoms have disappeared, but the skin purpura has recurred. Allergy testing did not reveal any allergies. We are currently following a vegetarian diet. What other dietary and lifestyle precautions should we take? How long should we continue this vegetarian diet?Doctor's answer:
Hello: According to the child's condition, the following precautions should be noted:1. Rest properly, avoid fatigue, and prevent emotional fluctuations and mental stress. Prevent insect bites. Remove possible allergens.
2. Pay attention to keeping warm to prevent colds. Control and prevent infections. Use sensitive antibiotics when there is clear infection or infection foci, but avoid indiscriminate prophylactic use of antibiotics.
4. Pay attention to diet. Since allergic purpura is often caused by allergens, avoid foods such as raw onions, raw garlic, chili peppers, and alcohol. Avoid contact with meat, seafood, and allergens like pollen.
5. To prevent recurrence, patients should adhere to a consolidation treatment course after recovery.
This condition is often self-limiting and usually improves within 6-8 weeks, with a good prognosis. Some cases may recur for several years. In cases with kidney involvement, most can recover, while a minority may develop chronic nephritis. Very few may die from acute renal failure.
Treating allergic purpura by eliminating triggers is important. It is also advisable to avoid prolonged or short-term high-dose injections or oral administration of corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, Kenacort, and prednisone, as these medications, while quickly improving or resolving the condition, may cause rebound worsening after discontinuation. Prolonged use of high-dose glucocorticoids may also lead to side effects such as obesity, hirsutism, acne, elevated blood sugar, hypertension, sodium retention, edema, hypokalemia, menstrual disorders, osteoporosis, aseptic osteonecrosis, and gastric and duodenal ulcers.