title: Indices of platelet activation and the stability of coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether indices of platelet activation are associated with the stability of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Platelet function was examined in 677 consecutive aspirin-treated patients presenting for cardiac catheterization. Patients were grouped into recent myocardial infarction (MI), no MI but angiographically documented CAD (non-MI CAD) and no angiographically detectible CAD (no CAD), as well as additional subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with non-MI CAD or no CAD patients, more patients with recent MI had a shortened platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100 collagen-epinephrine closure time (CT) and increased circulating monocyte-platelet aggregates, neutrophil-platelet aggregates, activated platelet surface GPIIb-IIIa and plasma soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L). More patients with non-MI CAD had shortened PFA-100 CTs and increased monocyte-platelet aggregates compared with patients with no CAD. Platelet surface P-selectin did not differ among the groups. Subgroup analysis revealed that decreasing PFA-100 CT correlated with the stability of CAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indices of platelet activation, especially the PFA-100 CT, are associated with the stability of CAD, and may reflect plaque instability, an ongoing thrombotic state and/or reduced responsiveness to aspirin.
authors: Center for Platelet Function Studies, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Linden
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: Furman
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Frelinger
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Fox
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Barnard
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Przyklenk
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Michelson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D019007:P-Selectin; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D001241:Aspirin; D004837:Epinephrine