[Multi-facetted clinical presentation of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura].

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathic disease. TTP is due to reduced activity of the von Willebrand factor which cleaves ADAMTS13. The disease is characterized by thrombocytopenia (<20 billion/l) intravascular Coombs-negative haemolysis and schistocytes in blood smears. Determination of the ADAMTS13-activity is now becoming available as a routine analysis. We present two cases that illustrate the multi-facetted clinical presentation under which TTP occurs. The importance of access to ADAMTS13 measurements is stressed.