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Sudden death due to undiagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia: a case report
Kentaro Sakai1, Akihiro Takatsu, Akio Shigeta
1Department of Legal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. kentaro.sakai@jikei.ac.jp
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with severe hemorrhagic coagulopathy induced by the release of procoagulant, plasminogen, and protease from leukemic cells. The case described in this report is of a 15-year-old male who unexpectedly died due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by underlying APL within 12 h after presentation. This case suggests that underlying APL should be considered as a differential diagnosis when sudden death occurs with a fatal spontaneous hemorrhage, although it is rare.
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is associated with severe hemorrhagic coagulopathy induced by the release of procoagulant, plasminogen, and protease from leukemic cells. The case described in this report is of a 15-year-old male who unexpectedly died due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by underlying APL within 12 h after presentation. This case suggests that underlying APL should be considered as a differential diagnosis when sudden death occurs with a fatal spontaneous hemorrhage, although it is rare.
