Whole blood platelet function in acute ischemic stroke. Importance of dense body secretion and effects of antithrombotic agents.
We studied platelet function in whole blood, a situation that better reflects the in vivo state, from 85 patients with acute ischemic stroke and from 19 healthy controls. Patients receiving no antithrombotic drugs demonstrated increased platelet dense body secretion without an associated increase in platelet aggregation, thus raising the possibility that dense body secretion may be of separate importance in cerebral infarction. Our results also suggest that dense body secretion may occur independently of aggregation. Heparin and heparin plus warfarin were ineffective in reducing the high level of dense body secretion seen in acute cerebral infarction, whereas treatment with aspirin plus dipyridamole inhibited both dense body secretion and platelet aggregation. It seems worthwhile to investigate the usefulness of antiplatelet drugs in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke wherein clinical outcome is correlated with the extent of suppression of platelet dense body secretion.
Joseph
R
R
Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48202.
D'Andrea
G
G
Oster
S B
SB
Welch
K M
KM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D014859:Warfarin; D004176:Dipyridamole; D006493:Heparin; D001241:Aspirin