Differential Diagnosis for Easily Bruising on Extremities
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Vitamin C Deficiency (Scurvy): This condition is characterized by impaired collagen synthesis, leading to fragile blood vessels and easy bruising. It's a common cause of bruising, especially in individuals with poor dietary intake of vitamin C.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Vitamin K Deficiency: Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood clotting. A deficiency can lead to easy bruising due to impaired clotting mechanisms.
- Platelet Disorders (e.g., Thrombocytopenia or Platelet Function Disorders): Conditions affecting platelet count or function can lead to easy bruising due to impaired blood clotting.
- Medication Side Effects (e.g., Anticoagulants, Steroids): Certain medications, such as anticoagulants and steroids, can increase the risk of bruising by affecting blood clotting or blood vessel integrity.
- Aging Skin: As skin ages, it becomes thinner and less resilient, making it more susceptible to bruising.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Leukemia or Lymphoma: These cancers can cause easy bruising due to bone marrow suppression, leading to thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunction.
- Bleeding Disorders (e.g., Hemophilia, von Willebrand Disease): Congenital bleeding disorders can cause easy bruising due to impaired blood clotting mechanisms.
- Liver Disease (e.g., Cirrhosis): Liver disease can lead to coagulopathy, increasing the risk of bruising.
- Renal Failure: Kidney disease can cause platelet dysfunction, leading to easy bruising.
Rare Diagnoses
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A genetic disorder characterized by fragile skin and blood vessels, leading to easy bruising.
- Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum: A rare genetic disorder affecting connective tissue, leading to fragile blood vessels and easy bruising.
- Amyloidosis: A condition characterized by the deposition of abnormal proteins in tissues, which can cause blood vessel fragility and easy bruising.
- Sickle Cell Disease: A genetic disorder affecting hemoglobin, which can cause vascular complications, including easy bruising.