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Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Alex Koyfman1, Elizabeth Brém, Vincent W Chiang
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. akoyfman@partners.org
Pediatric Emergency Care
|November 10, 2011
Summary
Dr. Eli Moschcowitz described a rare syndrome in 1924. This condition, now called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, involves anemia and widespread blood clots.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pathology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- A 1924 case report detailed a 16-year-old girl with sudden petechiae and hemolytic anemia.
- The patient progressed to paralysis, coma, and death, highlighting a severe, rapid clinical course.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the initial description of a rare hematological disorder.
- To establish the key pathological findings associated with the syndrome.
Main Methods:
- Clinical observation of a pediatric patient.
- Autopsy examination to identify pathological changes.
Main Results:
- Widespread hyaline thrombi were observed in the terminal arterioles and capillaries of multiple organs.
- The autopsy findings correlated with the clinical presentation of severe systemic illness.
Conclusions:
- The described syndrome is now recognized as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
- This historical account forms the basis for understanding TTP's pathology and clinical features.
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