title: Increased platelet and coagulatory activity in peripheral atherosclerosis flow mediated platelet function is a sensitive and specific disease indicator.
abstract: The importance of flow in both athero- and thrombogenesis is well established. In peripheral arterial disease (PAD) atherosclerosis is disseminated, thrombosis risk high and systemic hemostatic derangement believed contributory. We studied platelet and coagulatory activity in PAD patients, thereby evaluating the clinical efficacy of Stagnation Point Flow Adhesio-Aggregometry (SPAA). SPAA provides real-time quantitative assessment of platelet adhesion and aggregation under convective, low-shear flow conditions. 62 nondiabetic PAD patients and 66 healthy volunteers were examined, whereby SPAA and conventional aggregometry were performed and circulating fibrinogen, fibrin monomer (FM), the fibrin degradation product D-Dimer and thrombin-antithrombin-complex (TAT) assessed. Conventional aggregometry detected no differences between patients and controls. SPAA-measured platelet function (p < 0.001), fibrinogen (p < 0.001), FM (p < 0.001), TAT (p < 0.02) and D-Dimer (p < 0.001) were significantly increased in patients and not effected by aspirin therapy. Respective sensitivity and specificity in detecting PAD was as follows: SPAA (96%/95%), fibrinogen (36%/92%), FM (46%/88%), TAT (40%/73%), D-Dimer (75%/80%). Increased platelet and coagulatory activity was verified in PAD, whereby flow-mediated platelet adhesion and aggregation proved the most sensitive and specific parameter. These findings indicate the usefulness of SPAA for delineating platelet-related disease mechanisms and evaluating therapeutic strategies to prevent platelet activation.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Reininger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reininger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spannagl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Steckmeier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schweiberer
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000502:physiology; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D010979:Platelet Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; C036309:fibrin fragment D; C011468:fibrinmonomer; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases