Description
Moschowitz initially described thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in 1924. It is characterised by microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia (MAHA) in common with a number of other syndromes including haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), eclampsia and HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets). These conditions may have similar presentations and their diagnoses are currently based purely on clinical criteria. This has given rise to the concept that they might represent a spectrum of disease. However, recent independent work by Tsai5 and Furlan6 indicate that there are distinct pathophysiological entities and may explain in part the wide variation in response to treatment which is seen in clinical practice.
