Purpura fulminans also known as "Purpura gangrenosa" is an acute, often fatal, thrombotic disorder which manifests as blood spots, bruising and discolouration of the skin resulting from coagulation in small blood vessels within the skin and rapidly leads to skin necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Its caused by protein C deficieny which is usually congenital and rarely in sepsis and infections Activated protein C binds to endothelial protein C receptor and subsequently cleaves the endothelial cell protease activated receptor-1, not only altering coagulation profiles but down-regulating pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic mediators, up-regulation of anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic pathways and stabilization of the endothelial cell barrier functions. Systemic coagulation activation may lead to depletion of circulating coagulation factors and platelets, which subsequently lead to bleeding. The depletion of anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory proteins, in particular, protein C and its co-factor, protein S, may also promote thrombus formation, inhibit fibrinolysis and lead to further activation of the inflammatory pathways. @medicalcortex #medstudent #medschool #dic #purpura #fulminans #disorder #bacteria #emergency #nurse #or #surgery #sepsis #infection #premed #premedlife #usmle #nursing #coagulation #skin #necrosis #meningiococcemia #meningitis #f4f #l4l #premed #usmle #medicine #medical
