Severe Acquired Protein C Deficiency in Purpura Fulminans Associated With Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: Treatment With Protein C Concentrate

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-422
Author(s):  
WILLIAM T. GERSON ◽  
JOSEPH D. DICKERMAN ◽  
EDWIN G. BOVILL ◽  
ELIZABETH GOLDEN

Purpura fulminans (PF) defines an acute, often lethal syndrome of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) with rapidly progressive hemorrhagic necrosis of the skin due to dermal vascular thrombosis.1-7 It is indicative of a severe disturbance in hemostasis now recognized to involve the protein C system in many cases.1,2,5,8-12 Purpura fulminans is usually seen in three clinical settings: (1) in the newborn period as a manifestation of homozygous protein C deficiency, or rarely protein S deficiency13,14; (2) in individuals with acute, severe viral or bacterial infection where an acquired deficiency in protein C activity is documented1-3,5-8,10,12,15; and (3) as a rare, postinfectious syndrome with a history of an antecedent" preparatory disease," most commonly a viral or bacterial illness involving the skin (eg, varicella or scarlet fever), with the sudden development, during an otherwise unremarkable convalescence, of progressive purpura and necrosis.3-5,7,10,12

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 670-676
Author(s):  
Patrick Yuen ◽  
Alfred Cheung ◽  
Hsiang Ju Lin ◽  
Faith Ho ◽  
Jun Mimuro ◽  
...  

Severe and recurrent purpura fulminans developed in a Chinese boy at one day of age. Results of coagulation studies performed on the patient during attacks were compatible with the diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Subsequent investigations have revealed that the patient is homozygous and that his parents are heterozygous for protein C deficiency. Cryoprecipitate and fresh frozen plasma induced a remission, and administration of warfarin has been successful in preventing recurrence of attacks for as long as 8 months without infusion of any plasma components. None of the family members who are heterozygous for protein C deficiency have had thrombotic episodes.


Author(s):  
J Malm ◽  
M Laurell ◽  
I M Nilsson ◽  
B Dahlbäck

Consecutive patients with a history of thrombo-embolic disease (n = 241, 109 males, 132 females, mean age 46 y), referred to the Coagulation Laboratory during an 18 month period, were analysed for defects in their coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. The diagnosis of thrombosis had been verified with phlebography and that of pulmonary embolus with scintigraphy or angiography. Retinal venous thrombosis was found in 15 of the patients. In 15 cases the thrombotic episodes occurred postoperatively, in 15 during pregnancy, in 12 during the postpartum period and in 20 during use of oral contraceptives. In the remaining cases no clinical riskfactors were identified.The concentration of protein C zymogen was measured with an immunoradiometric assay. Functional protein C was determined with a clotting inhibition assay. Protein C deficiency was found in 8 cases. Two of these had a functional protein C deficiency with normal zymogen levels. The concentration of total, as well as free (not in complex with C4b-binding protein), protein S was determined with a radioimmunoassay. Two cases of protein S deficiency were detected. Three patients with antithrombin III deficiency and two with plasminogen deficiency were found.The fibrinolytic activity after venous occlusion was analysed in 216 patients. Decreased levels were found in 32 %. The concentration of tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) was measured in 110 patients and found to be increased in 65 % of the cases. In 99 patients both the fibrinolytic activity and the PAI concentration were measured. A combination of decreased fibrinolytic activity and increased levels of PAI was found in 44 cases. The concentration of tissue plasminogen activator antigen was decreased in 22 % of 105 cases analysed.Thus, in this material of patients with thrombo-embolic disease, abnormalities were found in 47 %. Defects in the fibrinolytic system were the most common findings. Protein C or protein S deficiency was diagnosed in less than 5 % of the cases.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 3816-3816
Author(s):  
Paul Knoebl ◽  
Michael Sasse ◽  
Maria Pia De Carolis ◽  
Jacqueline A Dyck-Jones ◽  
Sandra Ehrle ◽  
...  

Abstract The objective of this non-interventional, international registry was to collect and assess data on the indications, safety, and the outcomes of treatment of patients with acquired protein C deficiency with a plasma-derived, human non-activated protein C concentrate (Ceprotin, Baxalta/Shire). Any patient who received treatment with protein C concentrate was eligible for the study; there were no exclusion criteria. This was an observational study with no required predefined visits, medical or laboratory tests, procedures or interventions either at enrollment or during the study. The study was conducted from June 2010 to June 2015. Management of patients was according to the discretion of the investigator. The primary endpoints were the medical diagnoses associated with protein C concentrate treatment, the protein C concentrate treatment regimens (dose, frequency), treatment outcomes and safety information. Here we report the results from 18 patients with severe acquired protein C deficiency (SAPCD - as judged by the treating physician) from 4 European (EU) investigative sites. Protein C concentrate is not currently approved for treatment of acquired protein C deficiency in the EU. The median age at study entry was 1.9 years (range: birth to 73.1 years); 5 [27.8%] patients were <1 month, 4 (22%) from 1 month to <2 years of age, 2 (11.1%) from 2 to <12 years, 2 (11.1%) from 12 to <18 and 5 (27.8%) ≥18 years of age. Eighteen patients were treated with protein C concentrate. At clinical presentation, 15/18 (83.3%) of these patients had sepsis, 2 had necrotizing enterocolitis and 1 had hemolytic uremic syndrome. Thromboembolic disease was present in 8/18 (25.8%) patients, all of whom had purpura fulminans. Of these 8 patients, 2 had disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in addition to other conditions; 1 patient also had arterial thrombosis, and the other patient had macrovascular thrombosis and skin necrosis. The remaining 10 (74.2%) patients had no evidence of thromboembolic disease: of these, 7 patients had sepsis, 2 necrotizing enterocolitis and 1 hemolytic uremic syndrome. Dose level and frequency were variable: the most common dosage was 100 IU/kg and the most common interval between doses was 6 hours. There were no infusions administered for surgical interventions or for prophylaxis. At the time of final analysis 17/18 (94.4%) of patients had at least one follow-up visit. The median duration of study participation was 17.8 months (range 0.4-39.6 months). The mortality rate was 2/18 (11%) patients, including one case of fatal peritonitis, coinciding with protein C concentrate treatment in a 44 day-old, very low birthweight preterm infant and a case of multi-organ failure in a 19 year-old patient. Both deaths were considered not related to protein C concentrate. Ten patients received anticoagulation therapies in addition to protein C including: 4 treatments with antithrombin concentrates, 1 with clopidogrel, 6 with low molecular weight heparin and 7 with unfractionated heparin. Data from historical protein C concentrate treatments which occurred prior to enrollment in the study were collected from 3 patients upon their enrollment into the study (all 3 treatments resulted in halting/reversal of coagulopathy). During the entire study period, 13 adverse events (AEs) were reported in 5 patients with acquired deficiency; among these, 4 were serious adverse events (SAEs). During the period of treatment with protein C concentrate, there were 2 AEs including an SAE of gastroenteritis; neither were considered related AEs. The results of this registry demonstrate that in current clinical practice in the EU, treatment with protein C concentrate was safe with a mortality rate of 11% in patients with acute SAPCD and thrombotic episodes observed in association with sepsis and/or purpura fulminans in this study. Disclosures Knoebl: Baxalta, now part of Shire: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Sasse:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. De Carolis:Baxalta/Baxter: Other: Baxter Investigator for CEPROTIN Registry. Dyck-Jones:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Ehrle:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Finnerty:Baxalta/Baxter: Employment. Gelmont:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Yel:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Loghman-Adham:Baxter/Baxalta/Shire: Employment, Equity Ownership. Fischer:Baxter/Baxalta GmBH: Honoraria, Other: 'Weimarer Sepsis Update 2013'; Baxter/Baxalta GmBH: Consultancy, Other: Co-Authorship for E- Book-Preparing (Importance of the Protein C pathway in coagulation disorders and intensive care medicine / Treatment of congenital and acquired protein C deficiency.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-141
Author(s):  
Sarah Lawrence ◽  
◽  
Andrew Claxton ◽  
Mark Holland ◽  
Jack Hodd ◽  
...  

A 51 year old man presented with severe sepsis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and multiorgan dysfunction after a 24 hour history of diarrhoea and malaise. Despite fluid resuscitation and receiving a platelet transfusion, freshfrozen plasma and intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics, he remained anuric with a worsening metabolic acidosis. He was transferred to critical care for organ support including renal replacement therapy. He subsequently developed purpura fulminans. Blood cultures were positive for Captocytophaga carnimorsis, a gram-negative canine zoonosis that is an underdiagnosed cause of severe sepsis, for which DIC at presentation is characteristic. Treatment is with penicillins and fluoroquinolones. Identification of risk factors for unusual organisms and recognition of DIC allowing prompt treatment is critical for the acute physician.


1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (01) ◽  
pp. 015-020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Fijnvandraat ◽  
Bert Derkx ◽  
Marjolein Peters ◽  
Rob Bijlmer ◽  
Augueste Sturk ◽  
...  

SummaryIn 35 consecutively admitted children (mean age: 4.3 years) with a clinical diagnosis of meningococcal septic shock (MSS), activation of the coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways was evaluated directly at admittance to the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU). The association of clinical signs and haemostatic abnormalities was assessed.All patients had signs of extensive activation of the coagulation system. The 28-day mortality was 26%. Protein C activity was strongly reduced, especially in non-survivors in whom it was significantly lower than in survivors (5% versus 23%; p <0.0001). There was a strong negative correlation between protein C activity and the mean size of the skin lesions (r = -0.71, p <0.001). These results suggest that an acquired protein C deficiency in MSS is related to the pathogenesis of purpura fulminans.Furthermore, no increase in C4b-binding protein (C4BP) and no decrease in the ratio free protein S/total protein S was observed, suggesting that a deficiency of free protein S as a result of increased C4BP does not play a pathogenetic role in meningococcal septic shock.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (06) ◽  
pp. 1086-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Inbal ◽  
Gilly Kenet ◽  
Ariella Zivelin ◽  
Tikva Yermiyahu ◽  
Tamar Bronstein ◽  
...  

SummaryPurpura fulminans is associated with homozygous protein C and homozygous protein S deficiency or may follow bacterial or viral infections. We present 2 children from 2 unrelated Arab families with purpura fulminans who were double heterozygotes for factor V Leiden inherited from their fathers and protein S deficiency inherited from their mothers. No previous thrombotic events have occured in either patient or their respective family members. In one patient sepsis accompanied by disseminated intravascular coagulation appeared to be the trigger of purpura fulminans. In the other patient varicella infection preceded purpura fulminans and was also associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation. This report emphasizes the need for evaluation of hereditary defects in the inhibitory mechanisms of blood coagulation in patients with purpura fulminans at any age.


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