title: Biomarkers of platelet activation in acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: The most convincing evidence for the participation of platelets in arterial thrombosis in humans comes from studies of platelet activation in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and from trials of antiplatelet drugs. Both strongly support the concept that repeated episodes of platelet activation over the thrombogenic surface of a vulnerable plaque may contribute to the risk of death from coronary causes. However, the relation of  in vivo  platelet activation and adverse clinical events to results of platelet function tests remains largely unknown. A valuable marker of  in vivo  platelet activation should be specific, unaltered by pre-analytical artefacts and reproducibly measured by easily performed methods. This article describes current biomarkers of platelet activation in ACS, reviews their advantages and disadvantages, discusses their potential pitfalls, and demonstrates emerging data supporting the positive clinical implications of monitoring  in vivo  platelet activation in the setting of ACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Biotechnologies and Bioimaging, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroni
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riondino
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vazzana
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guadagni
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davì
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000097:blood; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000097:blood; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000097:blood; D012995:Solubility; D019700:Thrombospondin 1 / Q000097:blood; D013931:Thromboxanes / Q000652:urine; D059467:Transcriptome; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; C095235:CX3CR1 protein, human; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019007:P-Selectin; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; C469998:SCUBE1 protein, human; D019700:Thrombospondin 1; D013931:Thromboxanes; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases