Cryofibrinogenemic purpura.

A 50-year-old male patient had three episodes of acrally located purpura within 12 years without any other symptoms. The first two episodes which lasted several months coincided with the intake of beta-blockers; the third episode developed after a respiratory infection. A cryofibrinogenemia was found without any evidence of an underlying primary disease, especially not of a neoplasm. The clinical, histological, immunohistological, and electron microscopical findings, as well as the results obtained by intravital fluorescence videomicroscopy are presented.