High-dose aspirin in addition to daily low-dose aspirin decreases platelet activation in patients before and after percutaneous coronary intervention.
BACKGROUND
Activated platelets play a major role in acute vessel closure after coronary angioplasty. Although aspirin is the routine therapy during angioplasty, it only incompletely prevents acute closure. This might be due to suboptimal dosing.


OBJECTIVE
First, to study the effect of additional high-dose aspirin on platelet activation during coronary angioplasty. Second, to assess the potential of the new PFA-100 analyzer to evaluate the effect of different doses of aspirin in patients undergoing angioplasty.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients on 100 mg aspirin/day for at least 1 month were randomized to continuation of 100 mg aspirin/day only (Group A=24 patients), or to this regime plus a bolus of 1000 mg of aspirin given 1 day before angioplasty (Group B=27 patients). Results were compared with 15 controls. Platelet function was measured before angioplasty by the PFA-100 analyzer; platelet activation was measured by flow cytometry just before and 1 h after angioplasty.


RESULTS
At baseline, Group A had significantly more activated platelets than the control group (P<.001). High-dose aspirin in Group B resulted in significantly lower platelet activation as compared with both controls (P<.001) and Group A (P<.001). During angioplasty, the number of activated platelets decreased significantly in Group A (P<.001), while there was no change in Group B (P=.6). The PFA-100 analyzer was unable to detect differences between the two treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of high-dose aspirin to daily low-dose aspirin, 1 day before coronary angioplasty, significantly reduced the platelet activation state before and after intervention. The PFA-100 analyzer did not detect differences in the effect of low- versus high-dose aspirin on platelet function.
ten Berg
Jurriën M
JM
Department of Cardiology, St. Antonius Hospital Nieuwegein, Koekoekslaan 1, Nieuwegein 3435 CM, The Netherlands. jurtenberg@wxs.nl
Gerritsen
Wim B M
WB
Haas
Fred J L M
FJ
Kelder
Hans C
HC
Verheugt
Freek W A
FW
Plokker
H W Thijs
HW
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010979:Platelet Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects
D001241:Aspirin