This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Joseph, J E Articles by Machin, S J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Joseph, J E Articles by Machin, S J Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Platelet activation and turnover in the primary antiphospholipid syndrome

S Donohoe

P Harrison

I J Mackie

S J Machin

University College London Medical School, London, UK

Thromboembolism is a common occurrence in patients with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). The mechanism responsible for this phenomenon is unclear; there are several theories. One possibility is that a pathogenic interaction exists between antiphospholipid antibodies and platelets, leading to their activation. This study examined the expression of the platelet activation markers CD62 and CD63 by flow cytometry in 20 patients with the primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS). Levels of soluble P-selectin were also assayed. Reticulated platelets were measured as an indicator of increased platelet production and/or turnover. Median CD63 expression was significantly increased in patients (14.3%) compared to a group of healthy controls (10.1%, P , 0.0008). There was no significant difference in median CD62 expression or percent reticulated platelets between the two groups. The median level of soluble P-selectin was significantly higher in PAPS patients (35.5 ng/ml) compared to controls (18.8 ng/ml, P , 0.0028). Patients receiving aspirin had lower median CD63 values (13.1%) when compared to those patients who were not (18.0%, P , 0.023). However, aspirin therapy did not prevent significant platelet activation occurring in some individual patients.

Our data suggest that although not excessive, there is a degree of increased platelet activation in some PAPS patients, which is not always suppressed by antiplatelet therapy with aspirin.

Key Words: platelet activation markers • platelet turnover • antiphospholipid syndrome

Lupus, Vol. 7, No. 5, 333-340 (1998)
DOI: 10.1191/096120398678920163


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Lopez-Pedrera, P. Buendia, N. Barbarroja, E. Siendones, F. Velasco, and M. J. Cuadrado Antiphospholipid-Mediated Thrombosis: Interplay Between Anticardiolipin Antibodies and Vascular Cells Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis, January 1, 2006; 12(1): 41 - 45. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D J. McCabe, S Sumaria, and L A Wilson Letter to the Editor Lupus, May 1, 2005; 14(5): 409 - 410. [PDF]

				J. Joseph, P. Harrison, I. Mackie, and S.J. Machin Review : Platelet activation markers and the primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) Lupus, January 1, 1998; 7(2_suppl): S48 - S51. [Abstract] [PDF]