Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Jan 19, 2024
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Purplish rash
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Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenström is a very rare condition caused by underlying dysfunction in the immune system. It consists of three main findings: 1. High levels of immunoglobulins in the blood (hypergammaglobulinemia) 2. Rash of tiny red/purple spots due to small blood vessels leaking into the skin (recurring purpura) 3. A blood test that shows high levels of inflammation in the body (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) The cause is unknown but it is often associated with some underlying disease of the immune system. It commonly occurs in middle-aged women and may be triggered heat exposure, tight-fitting clothing, and extended periods of standing.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura treatment can vary depending on the severity but is generally a self-limited condition that goes away on its own. If more severe, treatment involves medication to suppress inflammation, reduce symptoms and find an underlying immune disease that might be causing it.
Gupta L, Edavalath S, Choudhary N, Aggarwal A. Hypergammaglobulinemic Purpura as the First Presentation of Juvenile Onset Sjögren Syndrome-Case-Based Review of Literature. J Clin Rheumatol. 2021 Dec 1;27(8S):S357-S361. doi: 10.1097/RHU.0000000000001582. PMID: 33298812.
https://journals.lww.com/jclinrheum/Citation/2021/12003/Hypergammaglobulinemic_Purpura_as_the_First.11.aspxFinder KA, McCollough ML, Dixon SL, Majka AJ, Jaremko W. Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenström. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1990 Oct;23(4 Pt 1):669-76. doi: 10.1016/0190-9622(90)70271-i. PMID: 2229494.
https://www.jaad.org/article/0190-9622(90)70271-I/pdfDeBiasio C, Cyr J, Petkiewicz S, Glassman SJ. Hypergammaglobulinemic purpura of Waldenström-Unusual and impressive case in a patient with myeloma: A case report. SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2022 Mar 22;10:2050313X221086321. doi: 10.1177/2050313X221086321. PMID: 35341104; PMCID: PMC8943611.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8943611/This symptom checker site is a great resource to either get an idea of what is happening inside your body or even get a second opinion without incurring another huge bill. It also provides a way to connect with a professional if needed. I really enjoy this site.
Aug 30, 2024 (Female, 40s)
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
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