title: Significance of eosinophil accumulation in the thrombus and decrease in peripheral blood in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is well known that the interaction between platelets (PLTs), endothelial cells, and leukocytes contributes to thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of PLTs and eosinophils (EOS) in coronary arterial thrombi.
  
  
  METHODS
  PLT count, mean PLT volume, PLT mass, EOS count, EOS percentage, and troponin I level in peripheral blood were determined in 81 patients with angina pectoris (AP) and 49 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 12 thrombus specimens from AMI patients were submitted for histopathological analysis. EOS presence in thrombectomy specimens were checked by hematoxylin-eosin staining and confirmed by Luna staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that EOS were present in all 12 samples (100%). Cell count and percentage of EOS in peripheral blood of patients with AMI were lower than those in patients with AP (both P<0.00001). A higher PLT count was observed in AMI patients (243±70), especially among female patients or those who were older than 60 years, when compared with AP patients (216±60; all P<0.05). According to the troponin I level, we divided AMI patients into groups I (≥20 ng/ml) and II (<20 ng/ml). Group I had a lower EOS percentage compared with group II (P=0.0496). PLT count was also lower in group I with no statistical difference found (P=0.1202). Moreover, there was an inverse correlation between the EOS percentage and the troponin I level (r=-0.434).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, patients with AMI presented with a decreased EOS percentage and an increased PLT count. The decreased EOS percentage suggested serious myocardial damage. The study indicated that EOS play an important role in thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
authors.affiliation: aThe Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital & Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Ministry of Health bDepartment of Cardiology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University cLaboratory of Electron Microscopy, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: De-zhao
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ya-li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jian-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Bu-xing
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D063847:Mean Platelet Volume; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood*; D010976:Platelet Count; D017131:Thrombectomy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood*; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019210:Troponin I