title: Platelet activity and cardiovascular risk in apparently healthy individuals: a review of the data.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Numerous risk scores exist to identify healthy individuals at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Although platelets are a key mediator in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, the role of platelet activity measurements and the incidence of cardiovascular disease are uncertain. Platelet aggregometry-the most well studied method of platelet function testing-is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, data supporting platelet aggregation and incident cardiovascular disease is conflicting. Plasma markers of platelet activation are promising candidates. Soluble CD40L and P-selectin are easily measured with a standardized ELISA, and there is some data to suggest an association with cardiovascular disease, but further studies are required. While mean platelet volume is a promising candidate, platelet count and bleeding time are not specific for platelet activity nor are they associated with cardiovascular disease in a healthy population. For this field to progress, we recommend large-scale, prospective studies that measure a battery of these platelet function tests in individuals without cardiovascular disease to better understand the associations, if any, between platelet activity and cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 530 First Avenue, Skirball 9R, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D001760:Bleeding Time / Q000379:methods; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010979:Platelet Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019007:P-Selectin; D023201:CD40 Ligand