Which condition is characterized by low levels of all clotting factors?

The condition characterized by low levels of all clotting factors is disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). DIC is a serious disorder that arises when the body's hemostatic mechanisms become excessively activated, leading to the formation of blood clots throughout the small blood vessels. This excessive clotting depletes the platelets and clotting factors, resulting in bleeding complications.

In DIC, there is both widespread clotting and overwhelming consumption of clotting factors, which ultimately leads to a significant reduction in the levels of all clotting factors. This can cause a paradoxical risk of bleeding, as the body runs low on the necessary components needed for normal coagulation.

Other conditions listed, such as hemophilia A, specifically involve deficiencies in certain clotting factors (like factor VIII in hemophilia A) rather than a broad decrease in all factors. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) relates to localized clotting within veins rather than systemic factor deficiency, and thrombocytopenic purpura primarily involves a reduction in platelet numbers rather than an overall depletion of clotting factors. Thus, DIC is unique in that it features both the consumption of clotting factors and the clinical manifestations of bleeding due to this depletion.