title: Platelet activation in the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether platelet activation occurs only in preeclampsia or also in normal pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty women with preeclampsia, 30 women with gestational hypertension, 20 women with essential hypertension, 30 pregnant women with normotension, and 30 nonpregnant women were recruited at St George Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Platelet activation was determined by flow cytometry on whole blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet activation was similar in all groups, except the group with preeclampsia. Compared with normal pregnant women, women with preeclampsia had significantly greater CD62 expression (1.35% vs 0.61%; P =.002), CD63 expression (1.73% vs 0.95%; P <.0001) and annexin V binding (1.03% vs 0.66%;P =.03) and significantly fewer circulating platelet microparticles (33 vs 49 x10(9)/L; P =.001). This was unrelated to other parameters that included platelet counts. Women with gestational hypertension in whom preeclampsia developed did not have enhanced platelet activation profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Platelet activation is increased in preeclampsia but not in other hypertensive disorders or in normal pregnancy. This may be part of the pathophysiologic factors of preeclampsia complications but is not predictable by the platelet count and is not apparent in all women with preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George Hospital and University of New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Françoise H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Harlow
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Brighton
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Annette E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Trickett
authors.forename: Y-L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Gregory K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D015539:Platelet Activation; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood*