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Platelet activation is increased in peripheral arterial disease

K Cassar1, P Bachoo, I Ford

  • 1Department of Vascular Surgery, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom. k.cassar@abdn.ac.uk

Journal of Vascular Surgery
|July 5, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Platelet activation is increased in patients with peripheral arterial disease, indicating a prothrombotic state. However, platelets from patients with critical limb ischemia show reduced responsiveness to stimulation.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Hematology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular events.
  • Platelet activation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
  • Understanding platelet behavior in PAD is essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare platelet activation markers in patients with PAD (intermittent claudication and critical limb ischemia) against healthy controls.
  • To investigate P-selectin expression and fibrinogen binding on platelets in different PAD severity groups.
  • To assess the responsiveness of platelets from PAD patients to in vitro stimulation.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective comparative study involving 100 subjects: 40 with intermittent claudication, 20 with critical ischemia, and 40 healthy controls.
  • Whole blood flow cytometry was used to measure resting and stimulated platelet P-selectin expression and fibrinogen binding.
  • Results were quantified by platelet percentage and mean fluorescence intensity.

Main Results:

  • Significantly increased P-selectin expression was observed in patients with intermittent claudication and critical ischemia compared to controls.
  • Platelets from patients with intermittent claudication showed significantly higher fibrinogen binding than controls.
  • Platelets from patients with critical limb ischemia exhibited diminished fibrinogen binding upon stimulation compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Increased platelet activation is evident in PAD, suggesting an underlying prothrombotic state.
  • Platelets in critical limb ischemia demonstrate reduced responsiveness to in vitro stimulation.
  • These findings highlight distinct platelet behavior patterns across PAD severity, impacting thrombotic risk.
Abstract

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