Swiss medical weekly
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Swiss medical weekly · May 1994
Case Reports[Fulminant purpura in Still's disease and bacteremia with Xanthomonas maltophilia and coagulase-negative staphylococci].
We describe the case of a 31-year-old man with a long history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who was admitted to the hospital because of painful purple skin lesions on hands and feet. On admission he presented the classical picture of "purpura fulminans" with extensive acrocyanosis and large blisters on the lower limbs which evolved into symmetrical peripheral gangrene. ⋯ Coagulation studies two months after the acute phase of the disease revealed chronic activated coagulation with a significant protein S deficiency. Clinical findings, etiology, significance of impaired coagulation and therapeutic action in "purpura fulminans" are discussed.