Key result
Advancing age was significantly associated with increased platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels in aspirin-treated vascular patients (p<0.001), but not in those on clopidogrel or ticlopidine.
Why the study?
Is advancing age associated with increased platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels in vascular patients treated with antiplatelet agents?
Cross-Sectional (n=5,026)
Is advancing age associated with increased platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels in vascular patients treated with antiplatelet agents?
Advancing age is associated with elevated platelet aggregability and fibrinogen levels in aspirin-treated vascular patients, which may contribute to higher cardiovascular risk in the elderly.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May suggest age-specific aspirin monitoring; leaves open whether this affects outcomes or warrants regimen changes.
In our present study we investigated the association between platelet aggregation in patients treated with the most widely used antiplatelet agents (100 and 300-325 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 75 mg clopidogrel, 500 mg ticlopidine and the combination of 100 mg aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel), fibrinogen levels and aging. Between 2001 and 2005 we measured in vitro platelet aggregation in 5026 vascular patients according to the method of Born. Platelet aggregation was tested with 5 and 10 microM adenosine-diphosphate, 2 microg/ml collagen and 10 microM epinephrine stimulants. Fibrinogen level was simultaneously measured in a subgroup of 3243 patients. The subjects were divided by age into decades. Platelet aggregation increased significantly with advancing age in the case of 100 and 300-325 mg ASA-treated patients (p<0.001). In aspirin-treated patients also fibrinogen levels increased with aging (p<0.001). There was no association between platelet aggregation or fibrinogen levels and aging either in patients treated with 75 mg clopidogrel or with 500 mg ticlopidine. Thienopyridine-treated patients exhibited significantly lower fibrinogen levels than ASA-treated individuals (p<0.001). Our results suggest that advancing age is associated with elevated platelet aggregability in widely used antiplatelet regimens that might contribute to higher risk of cardiovascular events in the elderly.
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Koltai et al. (2008) conducted a cross-sectional in Vascular disease (n=5,026). Advancing age vs. Younger age was evaluated on Platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels (p=<0.001). Advancing age was significantly associated with increased platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels in aspirin-treated vascular patients (p<0.001), but not in those on clopidogrel or ticlopidine.
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