Paris Trousseau Syndrome
Paris Trousseau Syndrome is a bleeding disorder in which there may not be enough platelets in the body (thrombocytopenia) and/or platelets may not work correctly. Platelets are cells in the blood that help stop bleeding after injury occurs. When bleeding starts (inside or outside of the body) platelets turn on and go to the site of the broken blood vessels where they clump together and stick to the blood vessel wall to form the beginning of a blood clot. Once platelets have turned on, they release chemicals that trigger other platelets to come to stick to the blood clot. In Paris Trousseau, platelets do not release the chemicals to trigger other clotting factors and/or do not get sticky and clump together. This can cause prolonged bleeding or bleeding that stops and then starts back up again.
Paris Trousseau syndrome often occurs in people that do not have chromosome 11. Chromosomes are tightly wrapped strings of DNA that hold genes that determine characteristics of that person: hair color, eye color, height, etc. Each parent gives their child 23 chromosomes, for a total of 46 pairs. Chromosome 11 is important for several reasons. One of these reasons is that chromosome 11 carries a gene that promotes the body to make platelets. People diagnosed with Jacobsen Syndrome should be tested for Paris Trousseau because they are missing chromosome 11.