Journal of clinical apheresis
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Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) comprises a group of microvascular thrombosis syndromes associated with multiple pathogenic factors. Deficient activity of ADAMTS13 is a pathogenic factor in a subset of TMA patients that provides a strong rationale for plasma exchange treatment. However, the subset of TMA patients with normal ADAMTS13 activity remains a heterogeneous group of patients in which the appropriate treatment is not well understood. ⋯ However, 11 of 30 (37%) non-ADAMTS13-deficient patient samples were strongly positive for PCT. These patient samples also had a >10-fold higher median CRP level than patients with normal PCT. We conclude that rapid assays may help identify sepsis in a subset of TMA patients.