title: Elevated levels of platelet microparticles in carotid atherosclerosis and during the postprandial state.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelet microparticles (PMPs) possess proatherogenic and procoagulant properties which may play a role in atherogenesis and subsequent thromboembolic complications. The present study was conducted to investigate the possible relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and plasma concentrations of PMPs, and elucidate if plasma levels of PMPs were affected by postprandial hypertriglyceridemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with ultrasound-assessed carotid atherosclerotic plaques (echogenic; n=20 and echolucent; n=20), assessed by ultrasonography, and subjects without carotid plaques (n=20) were recruited from a population-based study and underwent a standard fat tolerance test. Subjects with carotid plaques had significantly higher levels of large PMPs than subjects without carotid atherosclerotic plaques (96.7+/-50.4 microg/l versus 56.1+/-34.9 microg/l), after adjustments for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and use cardiovascular drugs (p=0.021). Plasma PMPs were not associated with plaque echogenicity. Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia induced a similar increase in plasma PMPs within all groups. Significant correlations were found between an increase in plasma triglycerides and percent elevation in total PMPs (r=0.29, p<0.05) and large PMPs (r=0.34, p<0.01) in the postprandial phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with echogenic and echolucent carotid atherosclerotic plaques have statistically significant elevation of large plasma PMPs compared to age/sex-matched normal controls. Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia induces a significant, similar increase in plasma PMPs in individuals with and without carotid atherosclerotic plaques which could be of pathophysiological importance in atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Internal Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. annika.michelsen@rr-research.no
authors.forename: Annika E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Michelsen
authors.forename: Ann-Trude
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Notø
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brodin
authors.forename: Ellisiv B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brosstad
authors.forename: John-Bjarne
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D014280:Triglycerides