Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Alternative names:

Moschcowitz's disease; TTP

Symptoms:

• fever
• weakness
• easy fatigue
• pallor
• shortness of breath on exertion
• heart rate over 100 per minute
• bleeding into the skin or mucus membranes, purpura
• headache
• confusion
• speech changes
• alterations in consciousness
• yellowish color to the skin (jaundice)

Signs and tests:

• platelet count, decreased
• CBC showing anemia
• bilirubin, elevated
• peripheral blood smear showing schistocytes and fragmented blood cells
• gum biopsy revealing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
• urinalysis showing protein or microscopic blood
• CHEM 20 showing elevated creatinine level
• mucus membrane biopsy revealing platelet thrombi in small blood vessels

This disease may also alter the results of platelet associated antibodies test.