Study of skin lesions in 221 patients of meningococcal disease.
During a meningococcal outbreak, 221 patients were studied. A skin rash was present in 78 (35.3%) patients. Twenty one (11.3%) patients had a frankly purpuric rash, involving mainly the extremities and the remaining had a generalised macular or petechial lesions. Extensive purpuric lesions, involving mainly the extremities were associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), shock and a fatal outcome. This peripherally distributed rash may be used as a clinical substitute for the laboratory tests that confirm DIC.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000150:complications*; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000209:etiology; D005121:Extremities; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011693:Purpura / Q000209:etiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications*