title: Pneumococcal purpura fulminans successfully treated with activated protein C.
abstract: Evidence suggests that sepsis is a systemic inflammatory condition complicated by dysequilibrium in coagulation and fibrinolytic homeostasis, with a shift in the balance towards increased coagulation over fibrinolysis. Protein C is a natural anticoagulant consumed and inactivated during sepsis. We present the case of a 33-year-old female, postsplenectomy, with pneumococcal sepsis and purpura fulminans, successfully treated with activated protein C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. kminhas@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Minhas
authors.forename: Shahida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bashir
authors.forename: Arif R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sarwari
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011695:IgA Vasculitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D011486:Protein C / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D011486:Protein C