scholarly journals Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: An unusual presentation with intracranial bleed

2021 ◽  
pp. 436-438
Author(s):  
Shaik Mohammad Tahaseen ◽  
Ravi Kirti ◽  
Subhash Kumar

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare and life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, and organ ischemia linked to disseminated microvascular platelet-rich thrombi. We present the case of a 44-year-old lady who presented with severe thrombocytopenia and anemia that did not respond to repeated transfusions and steroids. Non-contrast computed tomography scan of the brain revealed an intracranial bleed. Schistocytes were seen on the peripheral blood smear. A provisional diagnosis of TTP was made. Plasmapheresis could not be done due to her deteriorating hemodynamic status. She succumbed to her illness in spite of the best possible efforts. This case highlights the need for keeping a high index of suspicion for TTP as early diagnosis and prompt initiation of plasmapheresis are crucial for preventing death.

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Amr Hanafy ◽  
◽  
Waseem Seleem ◽  
Salem Mohamed ◽  

Background and aim Experts have reported thrombocytopenia linked to chronic liver disease in up to 70% in patients with advanced fibrosis and portal hypertension. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) occurrence with HCV infection is a rare and life-threatening event. We aimed to investigate the cause of disturbed conscious level, acute hemolytic anemia, and severe thrombocytopenia in a male patient with chronic HCV and under treatment with direct-acting antivirals. Case report: Development of severe thrombocytopenia, acute hemolytic anemia, neurological symptoms in the form of fits and coma in a 32- year- old man with chronic HCV infection after one week of treatment with direct-acting antivirals (sofosbuvir 400mg PO daily, and daclatasvir 60 mg PO daily). Brain CT was normal, with a negative Coombs test and the presence of schistocytes in the peripheral blood smear. The patient presentation was suggestive of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Conclusion: This is a case of TTP after one week of direct-acting antiviral drugs despite the safety profile of these medications. Studying the pathophysiology of TTP after DAAs needs more clarifications.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (19) ◽  
pp. 2125-2132
Author(s):  
Barbara Ferrari ◽  
Flora Peyvandi

Abstract Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an acute, life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) caused by acquired or congenital severe deficiency of ADAMTS13. Pregnancy is a recognized risk factor for precipitating acute (first or recurrent) episodes of TTP. Differential diagnosis with other TMAs is particularly difficult when the first TTP event occurs during pregnancy; a high index of suspicion and prompt recognition of TTP are essential for achieving a good maternal and fetal outcome. An accurate distinction between congenital and acquired cases of pregnancy-related TTP is mandatory for safe subsequent pregnancy planning. In this article, we summarize the current knowledge on pregnancy-associated TTP and describe how we manage TTP during pregnancy in our clinical practice.


Author(s):  
Zahra Khalighi ◽  
Golnaz Azami ◽  
Elham Shafiei ◽  
Ali Sahebi ◽  
Aliashraf Mozafari

Background: Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) is a rare and life-threatening disorder characterized by severe thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, fever, renal dysfunction, and neurological deficient. TTP leads to the formation of blood clots in small blood vessels throughout the body. TTP is associated with many risk factors such as pregnancy, HIV, cancer, lupus, and infections. Recently there have been few published case reports of bee sting associated TTP.Methods: A 67-year-old man from a rural area of the Southwest Province of Iran, Ilam, was referred to the academic general hospital because of fever, chills, sweating, vomiting and dizziness following the honeybee sting on his body. Results: this study showed that,multiple co-morbidities including CVD and diabetes, along with coagulation abnormalities after honeybee stings, seriously exacerbated patient hemodynamic status.Conclusion: TTP, as a major complication due to the toxic reaction of a large number of bee stings with underlying diseases in patients, should be given more attention.


2019 ◽  
pp. 12-13
Author(s):  
K. Ukleba ◽  
L. Gvetadze

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare and life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, and organ ischemia linked to disseminated microvascular platelet rich-thrombi. TTP is specifically related to a severe deficiency in ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13), the specific von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease. ADAMTS13 deficiency is most frequently acquired via ADAMTS13 autoantibodies, but rarely, it is inherited via mutations of the ADAMTS13 gane. The first acute episode of TTP usually occurs during adulthood, with a predominant anti – ADAMTS13 autoimmune etiology. In rare cases, however, TTP begins as soon as childhood, with frequent inherited forms. TTP is 2 – fold more frequent in women, and its outcome is characterized by a relapsing tendency.


Author(s):  
Balraj Singh ◽  
Kok Hoe Chan ◽  
Parminder Kaur ◽  
Varun Modi ◽  
Michael Maroules

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening disease, usually diagnosed with high index of suspicion. The pathophysiology of TTP is due to severe deficiency of von Willebrand factor cleaving protease, known as ADAMTS 13. Early diagnosis is crucial as without treatment TTP is associated with high mortality rate. Plasma exchange is currently the mainstay of treatment. Nonetheless, the classical pentad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), thrombocytopenia, neurological dysfunction, kidney dysfunction and fever are seen only in 40 percent of the patients. MAHA and thrombocytopenia are the common presenting features. Presentation with thrombotic complication without hematological features (MAHA and thrombocytopenia) is rare and makes the diagnosis difficult. Herein, we report an unusual presentation of a 53-year-old male, who was initially presented in 2014 with classical features of TTP, however had an atypical presentation of TTP in 2016 with only neurological features without hematological features.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (03) ◽  
pp. 322-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elien Roose ◽  
Bérangère S. Joly

AbstractThrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare, relapsing, and life-threatening disorder with an annual incidence of 10 cases per million people. TTP is a thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by severe thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and organ ischemia. The disease is caused by a severe deficiency of the enzyme ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13), which can either be acquired, mainly by autoantibodies targeting ADAMTS13, or congenital due to mutations in the ADAMTS13 gene. Thanks to the establishment of national registries worldwide, fundamental and translational research, major advances have been made on the diagnosis, treatment, and fundamental understanding of TTP, since the description of the first TTP case almost 100 years ago. The introduction of therapeutic plasma exchange in the 1970s has significantly improved patient survival, but novel diagnostic assays, targeted treatments (rituximab, caplacizumab, recombinant ADAMTS13), and the unraveling of both ADAMTS13 function and TTP pathophysiology should help to further improve the patients' quality of life. However, differential diagnosis of TTP remains challenging and still a lot of questions remain unanswered to completely understand this rare and devastating disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 536
Author(s):  
Senthil Sukumar ◽  
Bernhard Lämmle ◽  
Spero R. Cataland

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, and ischemic end organ injury due to microvascular platelet-rich thrombi. TTP results from a severe deficiency of the specific von Willebrand factor (VWF)-cleaving protease, ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13). ADAMTS13 deficiency is most commonly acquired due to anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies. It can also be inherited in the congenital form as a result of biallelic mutations in the ADAMTS13 gene. In adults, the condition is most often immune-mediated (iTTP) whereas congenital TTP (cTTP) is often detected in childhood or during pregnancy. iTTP occurs more often in women and is potentially lethal without prompt recognition and treatment. Front-line therapy includes daily plasma exchange with fresh frozen plasma replacement and immunosuppression with corticosteroids. Immunosuppression targeting ADAMTS13 autoantibodies with the humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab is frequently added to the initial therapy. If available, anti-VWF therapy with caplacizumab is also added to the front-line setting. While it is hypothesized that refractory TTP will be less common in the era of caplacizumab, in relapsed or refractory cases cyclosporine A, N-acetylcysteine, bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, or splenectomy can be considered. Novel agents, such as recombinant ADAMTS13, are also currently under investigation and show promise for the treatment of TTP. Long-term follow-up after the acute episode is critical to monitor for relapse and to diagnose and manage chronic sequelae of this disease.


2003 ◽  
Vol 82 (11) ◽  
pp. 702-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. E. Lee ◽  
V. J. Marder ◽  
L. J. Logan ◽  
S. Friedman ◽  
B. J. Miller

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 217-217
Author(s):  
Felipe Massicano ◽  
Elizabeth M. Staley ◽  
Konstantine Halkidis ◽  
Nicole K. Kocher ◽  
Lance A. Williams ◽  
...  

Background: Immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a potentially fatal syndrome, resulting primarily from autoantibodies against ADAMTS13. However, the mechanism underlying the autoantibody formation and the contribution of other genomic alterations to the pathogenesis of iTTP are largely unknown. Methods: Whole exome sequencing (WES) and bioinformatic analyses were performed to determine the genetic variations in 40 patients with iTTP who had ADAMTS13 activity <10 IU/dL and a positive inhibitor or an elevated anti-ADAMTS13 IgG in concordance with clinical presentations of severe thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with various degrees of organ injury. WES was also performed at the same time in fifteen age-, gender-, and ethnicity- matched individuals who did not have a history of iTTP or other hematological disorders as controls. Results: WES identified variants or mutations in the genes involving in glycosylation, including O-linked glycosylation, to be the major pathway affected in patients with iTTP. We propose that the altered glycosylation may be responsible for the development of autoantibodies against ADAMTS13 which impair the proteolytic cleavage of von Willebrand factor, accelerate the clearance of ADAMTS13 from circulation, and result in severe thrombocytopenia platelets in patients with iTTP. We also identified defects in ankyrin repeat containing protein ANKRD36C, a protein with hitherto unknown function, as the most statistically significant genomic alterations associated with iTTP (p < 10-5). Moreover, candidate gene analysis revealed that various genes involving in hemostasis, complement activation, platelet function and signaling pathway, and inflammation were all affected in patients with iTTP, which may contribute to the onset, progress, severity, and long-term outcome of iTTP. Finally, we also identified two patient subgroups where the disease mechanism might be different. Conclusion: Our findings provide novel insight into the pathogenic mechanism underlying ADAMTS13 autoantibody production and the potential contribution of other genetic abnormalities in modifying the iTTP clinical presentations in the individuals with severe deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity. Disclosures Zheng: Alexion: Speakers Bureau; Ablynx/Sanofi: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Shire/Takeda: Research Funding; Clotsolution: Other: Co-Founder.


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