title: Effects of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm on the soluble coagulation system, platelet count and platelet activation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  the aim of the study was to determine the effects of infrarenal asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) on platelet count and activation.
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective clinical study in a University Department of Vascular Surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  one hundred and five patients with AAA. Thirty-two control patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  platelet count (PC), plasma glycocalicin levels, prothrombin ratio (PTR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APPT), fibrinogen and D-dimer were measured in 23 patients with AAA and 16 control patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenoses. PC alone was measured in a further 84 patients with AAA and 16 with carotid artery stenoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PC was below the normal range in 8/105 patients and mean PC (215x10(9)/l, S.D. 47.5) was significantly lower than that of a control population (242x10(9)/l, S.D. 16.8) and patients with carotid disease (269x10(9)/l, S.D. 57). Glycocalicin level was above the normal range in 7/23 patients and the median level (28 fg/plt) was significantly higher than that of a normal population (21.6 fg/plt) and patients with carotid disease (12.3 fg/plt). Fibrinogen levels, PTR and APPT were all within the normal range. One patient had a minimally elevated level of D-dimer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the combination of low PC and high glycocalicin levels suggests that there is increased platelet destruction, most likely due to activation within the aneurysm sac.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000097:blood*; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000097:blood; D010976:Platelet Count; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex / Q000032:analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012995:Solubility; D014680:Veins