Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in acute pancreatitis

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare syndrome of unknown cau se with an estimated incidence of one case per million. The disease is char acterized by a pentad of symptoms: thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemol ytic anemia, neurologic changes, renal dysfunction, and fever. It causes th rombosis in the microvasculature of several organs, producing diverse manif estations. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a well-described consequence of TTP. We report a patient who developed TTP after presenting with AP, suggesting pancreatitis to be the cause, rather than a consequence, of TTP.