title: Assessment of platelet function in endogenous hypercortisolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is commonly known that glucocorticoids exert a significant effect on haemostasis. Studies that have analysed the plasmatic coagulation system and fibrinolysis parameters in hypercortisolaemic patients are abundant. Platelet function, which plays a vital role in primary haemostasis, is much less clear in this context. We aimed at assessing platelet function in endogenous hypercortisolaemic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five hypercortisolaemic patients were included in the study. Twelve of them were diagnosed with overt Cushing's syndrome (OCS) and 13 had subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS). Thirty healthy volunteers comprised the control group. In all subjects platelet function parameters were examined: ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation (ADP-IPA and Col-IPA, respectively), IMPACT R (expressed as percentage of surface covered (SC) by platelets and average size (AS) of the adhering particles in μm2), as well as closure time (CT) after platelet activation with agonists: ADP and Col or Col and epinephrine (EPI). The statistical significance level was set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in mean values of ADP-IPA, Col-IPA, Col/Epi CT, Col/ADP CT, SC, and AS between hypercortisolaemic subjects and controls. No statistically significant differences in means of examined parameters were found between overt and subclinical Cushing's syndrome patients. Furthermore, no statistically significant relationships were found between these parameters and hormonal indicators of hypercortisolism: 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion, morning and evening serum cortisol level, and overnight-test cortisol concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In hypercortisolaemic patients no primary haemostasis disorders are present, as reflected by platelet adhesion and ADP- and collagen-induced aggregation measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland. rensto@gumed.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Świątkowska-Stodulska
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mital
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiśniewski
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babińska
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skibowska-Bielińska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sworczak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010979:Platelet Function Tests
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone