Bilateral black eyes, "raccoon's eyes", resulting from plucking of eyebrows.
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Autoerythrocyte sensitization (psychogenic purpura) is an unusual diagnosis, but one that has a characteristic dermatologic manifestation of painful bruising. A typical case is presented, as well as a review of the literature. Treatment consists of psychiatric therapy, which is most effective when initiated early in the disease, so early diagnosis will not only minimize the cost of the medical evaluation but will also benefit the patient.
Hypothyroidism has distinctive cutaneous manifestations which may be diagnostic. Biopsy and histologic study of the skin may provide a simple and useful tool for diagnosing hypothyroidism. Purpura and ecchymoses, although not often mentioned among cutaneous manifestations of hypothyroidism, occurred in nine of 222 hypothyroid patients at Ochsner Clinic between 1958 and 1972.
OBJECTIVE: To study clinical profiles and outcome of children of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) during 1996 Delhi epidemic. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Hospital based study. METHODS: Children hospitalized from September to November 1996 were studied. All patients were diagnosed, managed and monitored according to a standard protocol. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty four children (80 (60%) males and 54 (40%) females) were studied. Sixty (45%) children were less than 6 years of age of which 12 presented during infancy. There were 92 (67%) cases of DHF and 42 (33%) cases of DSS. Common symptoms were fever (93%), abdominal pain (49%) and vomiting (68%). The commonest hemorrhagic manifestation was hematemesis (39%) followed by epistaxis (36%) and skin bleeds (33%). Hepatomegaly was observed in 97 (72%) cases and splenomegaly in 25 (19%). Serology was positive (IgM hemaglutination antibody titres > 1: 160) for dengue type 2 in 31 (80%) of 39 patients in whom sera was tested during the acute phase of illness. Mortality was 6%. Hematocrit > 40% was observed in only 25 (18%) patients and hence the management protocol was based on clinical signs and symptoms and not on hematocrit. CONCLUSIONS: A management protocol of DHF/DSS in which fluid therapy is not based on haematocrit values needs to be formulated.
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Nutritional deficiencies result in many distinctive cutaneous manifestations. Vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, produces follicular hyperkeratosis, perifollicular hemorrhages, gingival hypertrophy, and bleeding (1). We report here a case of malnutrition who suddenly developed extensive eccymoses on the lower extremities sharing morphological similarities with purpura fulminans. Although the patient did not have the characteristic dermatological features of scurvy, serum levels of vitamins C, K, B12, and E were decreased.
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BACKGROUND: One patient with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and one with advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma, both with poor nutritional status, developed ecchymoses and demonstrated prolonged bleeding time and abnormal aggregation of platelets. METHODS: On the basis of previous studies, the author measured the level of zinc in the serum and urine of these patients and the effect of zinc supplementation on the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings. Also studied were serum and urine zinc levels in 15 newly diagnosed, untreated cancer patients with no evidence of bleeding. RESULTS: The two patients were found to have very low serum and urine zinc levels, which were 6 and 9 microgram/dL and 28 and 22 microgram/24 hours, respectively, compared with normal average values of 70-150 microgram/dL and 150-1200 microgram/24 hours. The mean values of zinc in the serum and urine of the 15 patients newly diagnosed with cancer were 109.18 microgram/dL and 433.8 microgram/24 hours, respectively. Oral administration of zinc without any additional therapy was rapidly followed by control of bleeding, normalization of bleeding time, and platelet aggregation. Discontinuation of zinc caused the return of bleeding and abnormal laboratory findings, which again were corrected with zinc supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Severe depletion of zinc in two patients with advanced cancer and malnutrition was accompanied by cutaneous bleeding and laboratory findings of platelet dysfunction, both of which were corrected by oral supplementation of zinc and reoccurred on discontinuing therapy. Zinc deficiency should be suspected in patients with advanced cancer demonstrating bleeding when a prolonged bleeding time is the only hemostatic abnormality.
In an 86-year-old woman with a multiple myeloma of the IgG lambda subtype a coinciding systemic amyloidosis manifested as a macroglossia, diffuse alopecia and generalized cutaneous involvement. The skin was affected by milium-like papules, petechial haemorrhages and an increased tissue fragility with subsequent blister formation. The typical histology and immunohistology pattern revealed large intradermal amyloid masses, reacting positively with anti-amyloid A antibodies, which surrounded cuff-like dilatated blood capillaries. The abundance of these amyloid deposits led to significant deflexibilization and fragility of the capillaries and the dermal matrix eventually resulting in the haemorrhagic-bullous eruptions. The peculiar feature of the present case is the intensity of bullous-haemorrhagic skin damage due to amyloid A deposition without any detection of cutaneous IgGl as the myeloma-derived paraprotein assumed to be causative for the development of systemic AA amyloidosis.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The bleeding manifestations frequently observed in patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) have been attributed to different pathogenetic factors: amyloid deposits in several organs and systems leading to failures of these latter, the affinity of amyloid for some clotting factors, and the presence of plasma components interfering with fibrin formation could all induce alterations of clotting tests. This investigation was aimed at defining the prevalence of clotting abnormalities and their clinical manifestations in patients with AL. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-six consecutive patients with biopsy proven amyloidosis and documented monoclonal gammapathy were enrolled within one year. The following clotting tests were considered in the study: activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), reptilase time (RT), Russell's viper venom time (RVTT), fibrinogen, factor X and alpha-2 antiplasmin. RESULTS: Hemorrhagic manifestations were mild to moderate in nine patients, but severe and untractable in one. The most frequent clotting anomaly was defective fibrinogen conversion to fibrin, as demonstrated by prolongation of both TT (85% of cases) and RT (90% of cases). Low levels of factor X activity were observed in about 1 out of 4 samples, while fibrinogen and alpha2 antiplasmin levels were distributed over a wide range of values. PT was prolonged in 8 and aPTT in 25 patients. The search for lupus anticoagulant was negative in samples showing a prolongation of aPTT and/or RVVT. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: The prolongation of TT and RT is not dependent on either the presence of a heparin-like substance in the plasma or on fibrinogen levels; furthermore, the prolongation of RVVT is not related to factor X level. The hypothesized presence in the plasma of an inhibitor of fibrin formation could also affect factor X activation by Russell viper venom. The prolongation of TT and RT represents a peculiar feature of amyloidosis. The variability in the behavior of the other clotting times and hemostatic factors studied is mirrored in the heterogeneity of the clinical features observed in this disease.
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A large subcutaneous hematoma extending from the left axillary region to the left flank developed in a 70-year-old man receiving anticoagulant therapy. The cause was repeated microtrauma caused by the axillary pad on a walker. Physicians and physiotherapists should be aware that rehabilitation devices causing pressure on the skin increase hemorrhagic risk in patients taking anticoagulants. Accordingly, these patients should systematically be checked for hemorrhagic complications, and the use of such devices should be limited.
This article is based on the retrospective study of 4 cases of necrotic fasciitis of the upper extremity, in adult patients with a mean age of 57 years (range: 36 to 78 years) and with a male predominance (3 M/1 F). Presenting signs were variable: pain, febrile and inflammatory oedema, ecchymoses with inflammatory masses containing clear or haemorrhagic fluid. Treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs did not prevent progression to painless, necrotic ulcers. Rapid medical and surgical treatment constitutes an element essential of the prognosis and must include wide large debridement, antibiotics and intensive care.
INTRODUCTION: The risk of vitamin C deficiency is underestimated in industrialized countries and is only disclosed in rare cases of severe scurvy. CASE REPORT: We report three cases of scurvy presenting with ecchymotic purpura and hemorrhagic ulcerations of the lower limbs. Vitamin C supplementation led to rapid improvement of the skin lesions. DISCUSSION: Clinical diagnosis of low-grade deficiency can be difficult. Biological diagnosis requires special care in sample taking and transport.