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Alan Eli Lichtin, MD; Leslie E. Silberstein, MD; Alan D. Schreiber, MD
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia

JAMA. 1986;255(11):1435-1436.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by (1) thrombocytopenia, (2) microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, (3) fever, (4) neurological dysfunction, and (5) renal insufficiency. Since 1977, plasma exchange has been increasingly employed, with an improvement in the survival rate to greater than 80%.¹ We recently observed a woman with TTP who was unusual both because of her advanced age and because she developed colitis during the course of her disease.

Report of a Case.—

A 78-year-old woman was in her usual state of excellent health until ten days prior to admission, when she experienced cough, rhinitis, and myalgia. Two days prior to admission, she noted easy bruisability, and the next day she appeared confused. While being brought to the hospital by her family, she had a grand mal seizure. On initial evaluation, her temperature was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F); she had petechiae and fundal hemorrhages. . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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