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Rumpel–Leede test
System: Blood & Lymph Signs · All blood & lymph signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
After a blood pressure cuff is kept inflated on the arm for several minutes, a crop of tiny spots (petechiae) appears on the skin below the cuff, showing fragile capillaries (tourniquet test).
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with capillary fragility — used historically for scarlet fever and still used as a bedside aid in dengue; also seen with low platelets and scurvy.
◈ Behind the name
Theodor Rumpel (1862–1923) and Carl Stockton Leede (1882–1942), German and American physicians.
Related signs — Blood & Lymph Signs
Browse the R section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.