title: Platelet contractile force (PCF) and clot elastic modulus (CEM) are elevated in diabetic patients with chest pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Platelet function and clot structure may be altered in diabetes. We have noted increased platelet contractile force (PCF) and clot elastic modulus (CEM) in patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain. Twenty-six of the chest pain patients were diabetic. Here, we compare the PCF, CEM and platelet aggregation in diabetic chest pain patients, non-diabetic patients with chest pain and asymptomatic controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCF, CEM and collagen whole blood aggregations were measured in 100 chest pain patients and 25 asymptomatic controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet concentrations for diabetic patients, non-diabetic patients and controls were identical. PCF was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in diabetic chest pain patients (9.42 +/- 0.59 kdynes) vs. controls (7.40 +/- 0.32 kdynes). CEM in diabetic patients (29.96 +/- 2.19 kdynes/cm2) was significantly elevated relative to that in non-diabetic chest pain patients (25.22 +/- 0.84 kdynes/cm2) and normal controls (23.18 +/- 0.74 kdynes/cm2). Collagen-induced whole blood aggregation was decreased (P < 0.05) in diabetic chest pain patients vs. controls. PCF values (10.23 +/- 0.76 kdynes) in diabetic patients with haemoglobin A1c > 7% were higher than in any other group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCF and CEM are elevated in diabetic chest pain patients. The significance of these laboratory findings awaits additional clinical studies.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000097:blood*; D003018:Clot Retraction; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010979:Platelet Function Tests
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin