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Bleeding gums due to immune thrombocytopenic purpura

By JOM Staff

04.13.22

A 21-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department (ED) in September 2021 with the complaint of bleeding from his gums and lips. The patient was recently clinically diagnosed with strep throat and prescribed a 5-day course of Azithromycin. On day 5 of the treatment course, he noticed blister-like lesions filled with blood forming in his mouth. His symptoms worsened for one week prior to his arrival to the ED. Laboratory testing showed the patient’s platelet count was less than 1 × 103/μL (Table 1) and the bleeding had progressed to persistent oozing from the gums (Image A), along with presence of petechial rashes (Image B).