title: The bleeding time is inversely related to megakaryocyte nuclear DNA content and size in man.
abstract: The relation between the bleeding time and the megakaryocyte nuclear DNA content and size was evaluated in eleven consecutive patients with normal steady state thrombopoiesis undergoing thoracotomy. A statistically significant inverse correlation was found between the bleeding time and both megakaryocyte DNA content (r = -0.71, p less than 0.05), megakaryocyte total size (r = -0.58, p less than 0.05), megakaryocyte cytoplasmic size (r = -0.64, p less than 0.05) and megakaryocyte nuclear size (r = -0.58, p less than 0.05). The megakaryocyte total size and the megakaryocyte cytoplasmic size were statistically significantly larger in men than women (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.03 respectively). Changes in the megakaryocytes in the bone marrow are associated with changes in primary haemostasis in normal individuals.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dalby Kristensen
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bath
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001760:Bleeding Time; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count
chemical_list: D004247:DNA