Does anticoagulant therapy promote peripheral cholesterol embolism?
This early case series suggests that 'purple toe syndrome' and other manifestations of cholesterol embolization may be secondary to anticoagulant therapy.
In the two cases of multiple system disease due to atheromatous embolization presented, increasingly severe hypertension developed owing to renal involvement. One patient had acute pancreatitis from embolization to the pancreas. The second patient had mottling of the skin of the legs. Purple toes were present and gangrene developed in 3 toes. The possible influence of anticoagulant therapy in promoting peripheral cholesterol embolism is discussed. It is suggested that the "purple toe syndrome" may be a manifestation of cholesterol embolization secondary to anticoagulant therapy.
MOLDVEEN-GERONIMUS et al. (Mon,) studied this question.