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Purpura fulminans with Low Protein C in Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Septicemia

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28. Hämophilie-Symposion Hamburg 1997

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Abstract

Purpura fulminans is a cutaneous lesion with fibrination of the microvasculature, erythrocyte extravasation and granulocytic reaction. It appears in different infectious disease states such as meningococcal or pneumococcal septicemia or secondary to preceding (viral or bacterial) infections or for unknown causes [1]. The purpuric lesions usually progress to necrosis and even extremity gangrene may develop. Other organs may be involved. Powars et al. [2] were the first to suggest that low levels of protein C may contribute to the pathogenesis of purpura fulminans in meningococcal septicemia. Purpura fulminans also occurs in homozygous inherited deficiencies of the protein C anticoagulant pathway in the perinatal period [3, 20, 21] and as a complication of coumarin therapy [4]. The common denominator in these clinical settings is thought to be a low or missing protein C activity.

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Authors
  1. E. Lechler
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  2. F. Diet
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  3. B. Salzberger
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zentr. d. Inn. Med., Med. Klinik I Universitätsklinikum, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Inge Scharrer

  2. Hämostaseologische Abteilung, Med. Univ.-Klinik Innenstadt, Ziemssenstraße 1a, D-80336, München, Germany

    Wolfgang Schramm

  3. Hämophilieambulanz, Zentrum, Innere Medizin, Klinikum der Johann-Wolfgang, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Inge Scharrer

  4. Abt. Hämostaseologie, Medizinische Klinik Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany

    Wolfgang Schramm

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Lechler, E., Diet, F., Salzberger, B. (1999). Purpura fulminans with Low Protein C in Meningococcal and Pneumococcal Septicemia. In: Scharrer, I., Schramm, W. (eds) 28. Hämophilie-Symposion Hamburg 1997. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59915-6_61

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59915-6_61

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-64581-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59915-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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