Platelet scintigraphy and survival in juvenile stroke patients

In the present study the prevalence of active atherosclerotic lesion sites in the carotid and femoral arteries as well as the platelet survival in a selected group of 33 patients (8 males, 25 females) below the age of 50 after juvenile stroke has been examined. In the patients studied a high frequency (80%) of positive (visible) carotid artery lesions with a platelet uptake ratio (PUR) ranging from 1.07-1.79 as well as an extremely shortened platelet survival were monitored. In-vitro platelet function tests, however, did not show significant abnormalities. No correlation between PUR, platelet survival, platelet function and the clinical situation could be assessed. These findings indicate that in this highly selected group of patients in-vivo haemostatic balancing seems to be severely impaired.