LEUKOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS - CORRELATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT HISTOLOGIC STAGES AND DIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE RESULTS

Background Leukocytoclastic vasculitis is a well-known clinico-patholo gic entity. A good correlation between clinical and direct immunofluor escence (DIF) findings has been shown only in the early stages of vasc ulitis. Our purpose was to determine the correlation between different stages of vasculitis, etiology of vasculitis, and DIF findings. Metho ds Histologic and DIF studies were performed and evaluated from 40 pat ients with leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Results Thirty-seven out of 40 patients (92%) showed positive DIF findings in the blood vessel walls . Eight patients were in the Early stage of vasculitis and exhibited d eposits mainly of fibrin,gen, C3, and IgM. Seventeen patients were at the fully developed vasculitis stage and showed albumin, fibrinogen, a nd IgG deposits. Fifteen patients were in the late stage of vasculitis and showed deposits of mainly fibrinogen and C3 in the blood vessel w alls. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that DIF examination is a very sensitive test in the diagnosis of vasculitis, and can be us ed in all stages of vasculitis and not only in the early stages as has been shown in previous studies.