"Sticky platelet syndrome": a congenital platelet abnormality predisposing to thrombosis?

We have identified a number of patients with coronary artery disease, TIAs and/or strokes and idiopathic ischemic optic neuropathy who have a platelet population which is in vitro hyperaggregable with epinephrine and ADP and hyperresponsive to surface contact. These patients have no identifiable risk factors. Several families have been identified in which multiple members had these findings. Many, but not all have had clinical symptoms. An autosomal (dominant) pattern of heredity seems to evolve. We refer to this as "sticky platelet syndrome" and hypothesize that it may represent a congenital platelet abnormality which potentially predisposes to thromboembolisms. The precise nature of the defect is not known at this time.