Platelet Function Studies in Coronary Artery Disease

Platelets have been implicated and abnormal platelet function proposed in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This investigation examines platelet function in men with stable, arteriographically defined CAD and correlates results with lipid pattern, history of angina or myocardial infarction and smoking habits. Platelet survival ( 51 Chromium method), adhesiveness, and aggregation were measured in 21 men with CAD. Twelve patients had Type IV hyperlipoproteinemia and nine patients had normal lipoprotein level. Eighteen had angina and 13 had had infarction. The average platelet survival for the total group was normal (6.8 ± 0.24 days, avg ± sem ), but survival was shortened in 11 and normal in ten. There was no significant difference between: (1) patients with hyperlipoproteinemia (6.8 ± 0.30 days) and those with normal lipoproteins (6.9 ± 0.41 days); (2) patients with angina (6.8 ± 0.28 days) and without (6.6 ± 0.26 days); (3) patients with infarction (6.8 ± 0.26 days); and without (6.8 ± 0.50 days); (4) patients with varying patterns of arteriographic involvement; and (5) with varying smoking histories. Adhesiveness was normal in all. Aggregation was normal in 14. Neither adhesiveness nor aggregation correlated with platelet survival or defined the subgroups of CAD. Results suggest an abnormal short platelet survival frequently occurs in patients with CAD, but there is no discernible difference in platelet survival among the various clinical subgroups of CAD.