Multipotent role of platelets in inflammatory bowel diseases: a clinical approach.
There is evidence that inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) combine both inflammation and coagulation in their pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. Although platelets (PLT) are well known for their role in hemostasis, there are a rising number of studies supporting their considerable role as inflammatory amplifiers in chronic inflammatory conditions. IBD are associated with several alterations of PLT, including number, shape, and function, and these abnormalities are mainly attributed to the highly activated state of circulating PLT in IBD patients. When PLT activate, they increase in size, release a great variety of bio-active inflammatory and procoagulant molecules/particles, and express a variety of inflammatory receptors. These inflammatory products may represent a part of the missing link between coagulation and inflammation, and can be considered as possible IBD pathogenesis instigators. In clinical practice, thrombocytosis is associated both with disease activity and iron deficiency anemia. Controlling inflammation and iron replacement in anemic patients usually leads to a normalization of PLT count. The aim of this review is to update the role of PLT in IBD and present recent data revealing the possible therapeutic implications of anti-PLT agents in future IBD remedies.
Evangelos Voudoukis, Konstantinos Karmiris, Department of Gastroenterology, Venizelion General Hospital, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
Evangelos
E
Voudoukis
Evangelos Voudoukis, Konstantinos Karmiris, Department of Gastroenterology, Venizelion General Hospital, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Karmiris
Evangelos Voudoukis, Konstantinos Karmiris, Department of Gastroenterology, Venizelion General Hospital, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
Ioannis E
IE
Koutroubakis
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology*; D055252:Cell-Derived Microparticles / Q000378:metabolism; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010976:Platelet Count; D013922:Thrombocytosis
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
Anemia; Crohn’s disease; Platelets; Thrombocytosis; Ulcerative colitis