Concurrent thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and immune thrombocytopenic purpura in an HIV-positive patient: Case report and review of the literature

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) have each been associated with HIV infection. Sequential occurrence of these two diseases with a disease-free interval has been occasionally reported in the literature, whereas simultaneous manifestations of these two diseases have not been described, Here, we report an AIDS patient who was initially diagnosed as having TTP and showed an apparent partial response to plasmapheresis but was found to have a clinical course similar to ITP. Although precise mechanisms for the development of TTP and ITP in these patients are unclear, we offer several hypotheses, It is important to recognize that these two processes may be seen concurrently. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.