Seminars in thrombosis and hemostasis
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Semin. Thromb. Hemost. · Oct 1990
ReviewNeonatal purpura fulminans due to homozygous protein C or protein S deficiencies.
Homozygous protein C deficiency or homozygous protein S deficiency are rare genetic diseases with catastrophic and fatal purpura fulminans-like or thrombotic complications occurring during the neonatal period. These diseases can now be successfully treated. Purpura fulminans is at least in part a cutaneous manifestation of the syndrome of systemic DIC. ⋯ It is very similar to the lesions seen in idiopathic purpura fulminans, warfarin-induced skin necrosis, and acute infectious purpura fulminans. Unfortunately, our current understanding of the mechanism or mechanisms of the induction and propagation of the purpura fulminans-like lesions in homozygous protein C or protein S deficiencies is minimal, since it has never been studied. We can only speculate on the mechanism based on laboratory data and comparison with the little that is known about the other similar types of lesions.