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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2008 Jun 21.
Published in final edited form as: Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2006 Nov;4(6):813–825. doi: 10.1586/14779072.4.6.813

Table 2.

Is TTP associated with other disorders?

Condition Bukowski (61) Current evidence
Pregnancy Insufficient data to account for an association of TTP and pregnancy Most cases of thrombotic microangiopathy are due to HELLP syndrome or atypical HUS.
Hereditary TTP or pre-existing autoimmune TTP may exacerbate during pregnancy.
De novo cases of acute TTP during pregnancy are probably coincidental.
Lupus and related connective tissue disorders Patients with positive serological studies for lupus should be suspected of having a connective tissue disorder presenting as a TTP-like disorder. ANA or other autoantibodies, mostly of low titers, may be present in some cases of TTP.
Most cases of thrombotic microangiopathy in patients with active connective tissue disorders do not have profound ADAMTS13 deficiency and inhibitors of the enzyme are not detectable.
Malignancy The association of TTP and a malignancy was coincidental Chemotherapeutic agents and embolism of metastasizing cancer cells, but not ADAMTS13 inhibitors, account for most cases of thrombotic microangiopathy in patients with underlying malignancies.
Drugs A definitive cause-and-effect relationship is lacking in most cases of drug-induced TTP. Only ticlopidine has been demonstrated to be associated with ADAMTS13 inhibitors.
Infection or Vaccination A clear association of TTP with infection or recent vaccination is not recognized. Infections may exacerbate pre-existing TTP.
Only HIV infection has been associated with TTP.

ANA: antinuclear antibodies; HELLP: hemolysis with elevated liver enzymes and low platelets; HUS: hemolytic uremic syndrome; TTP; thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.