Differential Diagnosis for Petechiae with Bleeding Gums
- Single most likely diagnosis:
- Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP): This condition is characterized by low platelet count, leading to petechiae and bleeding gums due to the body's immune system attacking its own platelets.
- Other Likely diagnoses:
- Vitamin K Deficiency: Essential for blood clotting, a deficiency can lead to easy bruising and bleeding, including gum bleeding and petechiae.
- Vitamin C Deficiency (Scurvy): Important for collagen synthesis and iron absorption, its deficiency can cause bleeding gums and petechiae among other symptoms.
- Leukemia: Certain types of leukemia can cause petechiae and bleeding gums due to bone marrow failure leading to decreased platelet production.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.):
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): A serious disorder in which the proteins responsible for blood clotting become overactive, leading to widespread clotting and bleeding, including petechiae and gum bleeding.
- Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP): A rare blood disorder characterized by the formation of blood clots in small blood vessels throughout the body, which can lead to petechiae and bleeding gums.
- Hemophilia: A genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a type that affects platelet function could potentially cause petechiae and bleeding gums.
- Rare diagnoses:
- Henoch-Schönlein Purpura (HSP): A form of vasculitis that affects blood vessels and is characterized by petechiae, but it more commonly presents with joint pain and abdominal pain.
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A group of disorders that affect connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues, which can lead to easy bruising and bleeding.
- Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome: A rare genetic disorder of the immune system that primarily affects males and is characterized by eczema, a low platelet count, and recurrent infections, which can include petechiae and bleeding gums.