The haemorrhagic diathesis in diphtheria with special reference to disseminated intravascular coagulation

SUMMARY

Forty children with clinically severe diphtheria were screened for bleeding diathesis. Five cases had thrombocytopenia as an isolated abnormality and one of these children bled. In a further ten children, evidence compatible with disseminated intravascular coagulation was present and seven of these exhibited a haemorrhagic tendency. The likelihood of uraemia, liver disease and the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome contributing to the coagulopathy is discussed.