title: Platelet count and platelet factor 3 (PF-3) availability in sickle cell disease.
abstract: In view of the effect of red blood cell membrane on platelet factor 3 release in sickle cell disease, platelet count and platelet factor 3 (PF-3) availability were measured in 30 sickle cell patients in a stable state and 15 with thrombocytosis, and these were compared with 60 non-sickle cell individuals as controls. There were no significant differences in platelet counts, but there was a slightly higher PF-3 availability in sickle cell patients not in crisis than in the controls (P < 0.025). Sickle cell patients with thrombocytosis made PF-3 available more readily than did the control individuals and sickle cell patients not in crisis (P < 0.001). We conclude that sickle cell patients are capable of making platelet factor 3 readily available for coagulation activation, and this may play a decisive role in vaso-occlusive crisis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Famodu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oduwa
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D010977:Platelet Factor 3 / Q000032:analysis*; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010977:Platelet Factor 3