purpura

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purpura (per-pew-ră) n. a skin rash resulting from bleeding into the skin from blood capillaries; the rash is made up of individual purple spots (see petechiae). Purpura may be due either to defects in the blood capillaries (nonthrombocytopenic p.) or to a deficiency of blood platelets (thrombocytopenic p.). idiopathic thrombocytopenic p. an autoimmune disease in which the platelets are destroyed, leading to spontaneous bruising. A mild acute form affects children; a more serious chronic form typically affects adults. See also thrombocytopenia, Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

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