Case 39-1995 A 72-year-old man with exertional dyspnea, fatigue, and extensive ecchymoses and purpuric lesions

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 333; no. 25; pp. 1695 - 1702
• Main Authors: Meisel, J.L, Mark, E.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Medical Society 21-12-1995
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199512213332508

Presentation of Case
A 72-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of exertional dyspnea, fatigue, and extensive ecchymoses and purpuric lesions.
During the preceding six months he had been followed as an outpatient because of anorexia, persistent exertional dyspnea, frontal headache, apathy, and irritability, which were not relieved by antidepressant medication. One month before admission he began to have increasing anorexia, with nausea and an unsteady gait, followed by the development of bruises on the left leg and abdomen. Several days before admission the dyspnea began to worsen, with lightheadedness and increasing fatigue. On the day of admission a . . .