CUTANEOUS AND HEMORRHAGIC BLEEDING INJURIES OF THE IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

Abstract

The idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease of unknown cause being attributed by some authors as an immune response to some types of vaccine as a trigger of the disease. It is estimated that 10 in every 100,000 middle-aged individuals develop the disease. The first treatment choice is corticosteroids, and the diagnosis is performed with clinical evidence of bleeding, bruises, epistaxis, petechiae, and hematologic tests that confirm intense thrombocytopenia. This case report is about a melanoderma patient, 34 years old, who had a sudden appearance of bruising on various areas of the body and presence of petechiae and hemorrhagic blisters in the oral cavity. Hematologic examinations showed intense thrombocytopenia (30,000 platelets); the patient was treated with a corticosteroid and bevacizumab without adequate response and because it was a refractory disease, the patient underwent chemotherapy with vincristine leading to remission of the disease.