Purpura

Purpura are a common and nonspecific medical sign; however, the underlying mechanism commonly involves one of:

• Platelet disorders (thrombocytopenic purpura)
• Primary thrombocytopenic purpura
• Secondary thrombocytopenic purpura
• Post-transfusion purpura
• Vascular disorders (nonthrombocytopenic purpura)
• Microvascular injury, as seen in senile (old age) purpura, when blood vessels are more easily damaged
• Hypertensive states
• Deficient vascular support
• Vasculitis, as in the case of Henoch–Schönlein purpura
• Coagulation disorders
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
• Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) – defect in collagen synthesis due to lack of hydroxylation of procollagen results in weakened capillary walls and cells
• Meningococcemia
• Clumping fibrillary protein deposits caused by Amyloidosis
• Cocaine use with concomitant use of the one-time chemotherapy drug and now veterinary deworming agent levamisole can cause purpura of the ears, face, trunk, or extremities, sometimes needing reconstructive surgery.{{cite journal|title=Toxic Effects of Levamisole in a Cocaine User|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=364|issue=24|pages=e52|publisher=The New England Journal of Medicine|doi=10.1056/NEJMicm1008722|pmid=21675882|year=2011|last1=Muirhead|first1=Trevor T.|last2=Eide|first2=Melody J.}} Levamisole is purportedly a common cutting agent.
• Decomposition of blood vessels including purpura is a symptom of acute radiation poisoning in excess of 2 Grays of radiation exposure. This is an uncommon cause in general, but is commonly seen in victims of nuclear disaster.

Cases of psychogenic purpura are also described in the medical literature,{{cite journal |vauthors=Anderson JE, DeGoff W, McNamara M |title=Autoerythrocyte sensitization (psychogenic purpura): a case report and review of the literature |journal=Pediatric Emergency Care |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=47–48 |year=1999 |pmid=10069314 |doi=10.1097/00006565-199902000-00014}} some claimed to be due to "autoerythrocyte sensitization". Other studies{{cite journal |vauthors=Lotti T, Benci M, Sarti MG, Teofoli P, Senesi C, Bonan P, etal |title=Psychogenic purpura with abnormally increased tPA dependent cutaneous fibrinolytic activity |journal=International Journal of Dermatology |volume=32| issue=7 |pages=521–23 |year=1993 |pmid=8340191 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-4362.1993.tb02840.x|s2cid=38433734 }} suggest the local (cutaneous) activity of tissue plasminogen activator can be increased in psychogenic purpura, leading to substantial amounts of localized plasmin activity, rapid degradation of fibrin clots, and resultant bleeding. Petechial rash is also characteristic of a rickettsial infection.

The word purpura ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ɜr|p|ɜr|ə}}) comes from Latin purpura, "purple", which came from ancient Greek πορφύρα. Purpura is a mass noun naming the condition or state, not the name of an individual spot (thus there is no *purpurum, *purpura or *purpura, *purpurae count declension).

• Bruise, which is a hematoma caused by trauma
• Purpura secondary to clotting disorders
• Purpura hemorrhagica in horses
• Pigmented purpuric dermatosis
• Schamberg disease (progressive pigmentary purpura)

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{{Medical resources

| DiseasesDB = 25619

| ICD10 = {{ICD10|D|69||d|65}}

| ICD9 = {{ICD9|287}}

| ICDO =

| OMIM =

| MedlinePlus = 003232

| eMedicineSubj =

| eMedicineTopic =

| MeshID = D011693

}}

• [http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010801/419.html Evaluating the Child with Purpura] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016080004/http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010801/419.html |date=2008-10-16 }} from American Academy of Family Physicians

{{Bleeding and clotting disorders|us=y}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Dermatologic terminology

Category:Medical signs