EVALUATION OF PLATELET FUNCTION BY MEASURING PLATELET ADHESIONAND AGGREGATION ON POLYSTYRENE SURFACE IN PATIENTS WITHESSENTIAL THROMBOCYTHEMIA

• Main Authors: Katarina Trdina, Jana Kralj, Peter Černelč
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2008-04-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/888

BACKGROUND People with essential thrombocythemia (ET) have increased number of circulating platelets. The function of platelets is often impaired. Some people with ET can suffer from bleeding or clotting due to their disease. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) may be useful in treatingpatients with symptoms of microvascular occlusion. Numerous methods for evaluation ofplatelet function are available. Most of them have numerous disadvantages. In this research a new method adhesion and aggregation on polystyrene surface (AAPS) was assessed. METHODS The research comprised 69 patients with ET. The study group consisted of 49 patientsthat were treated with ASA and 20 patients that were not treated with ASA. We measuredplatelet aggregation using aggregometer and closure time. We were also testing plateletfunction using the new method AAPS. The measured values were compared to values ofhealthy subjects. RESULTS Surface coverage (3.3 % vs. 1,7 %) and average size of platelets and platelet aggregates(45 µm2 vs. 32 µm2) of the modified test AAPS were decreased for patients that were nottreated with ASA versus healthy subjects (p < 0.05). Surface coverage (1.7 % vs. 11 %),average size of platelets and platelet aggregates (32 µm2 vs. 42 µm2) and number of platelets and platelet aggregates (263 vs. 1421) of the modified test AAPS for patients that weretreated with ASA versus patients that were not treated with ASA were increased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS We found out that the AAPS modified test is useful for evaluation of platelet dysfunction inpatients with ET. Furthermore the AAPS modified test is suitable for monitoring treatmentwith ASA and screening patients with »acetylsalicylic acid resistance«. We also found outthat the number of platelets in blood exerts influence upon number of platelets and plateletaggregates measured by the standard test AAPS