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Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Microfluidics in Assessing Platelet Function
Published on: November 8, 2024
[Factors influencing platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndrome]
Insights
Platelet aggregation in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients is affected by mean platelet volume (MPV), glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa levels, and CYP2C19 genetic variations, not GP IIb-IIIa polymorphism.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Pharmacogenomics
- Hematology
Background:
- Platelet aggregation plays a critical role in acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
- Understanding factors influencing platelet aggregation is crucial for optimizing antiplatelet therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors affecting platelet aggregation in ACS patients receiving acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and clopidogrel.
- To assess the impact of drug dosage, timing, and genetic variations on antiplatelet response.
Main Methods:
- 147 ACS patients were enrolled, receiving ASA and clopidogrel at varying doses.
- Platelet aggregation was measured using ADP stimulation on days 1, 3-5, and 8-12 post-ACS onset.
- Analysis included correlations with mean platelet volume (MPV), glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa levels, and CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism.
Main Results:
- Clopidogrel significantly reduced platelet aggregation, with higher doses showing a greater effect.
- Platelet aggregation on day 1 correlated with MPV and GP IIb-IIIa levels.
- CYP2C19 genetic variations (slow metabolizers) were associated with enhanced platelet aggregation.
Conclusions:
- MPV, GP IIb-IIIa levels, and CYP2C19 polymorphism influence platelet aggregation in ACS patients.
- GP IIb-IIIa polymorphism did not significantly affect platelet aggregation in this cohort.
- These findings highlight the importance of pharmacogenetics in tailoring antiplatelet therapy for ACS.
Aim:
To study factors influencing platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
Subjects And Methods:
The investigation enrolled 147 patients with ACS. Their blood was sampled on days 1, 3-5, and 8-12 days after the onset of ACS. All the patients received acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) 300 mg on day 1, then 100 mg/day and clopidogrel 300-600 mg on day 1, then 75-150 mg/day. Platelet aggregation was analyzed in 65 patients on day 1 after ASA intake, but prior to clopidogrel therapy. The aggregation was induced by 5 and 20 pmol of ADP.
Results:
With the use of clopidogrel 75 mg/day on day 3-5, platelet aggregation was reduced by 2.1 and 1.7 times for 5 and 20 μmol of ADP, respectively, as compared to day 1 (ASA without clopidogrel) and remained unchanged on days 8-12. Increasing the dose of clopidogrel up to 150 mg/day potentiated its antiaggregatory effect. On day 1 (ASA without clopidogrel), there was a direct correlation between platelet aggregation levels and mean platelet volume (MPV) (correlation coefficients (r), 0.526 (p < 0.001) and 0.368 (p = 0.015) for 5 and 20 μmol of ADP, and between platelet aggregation levels and glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa (r = 0.387; p = 0.002 and r = 0.411 (p < 0.001) for 5 and 20 μmol of ADP. No similar correlations were found on days 3-5 and 8-12 of administration of ASA and clopidogrel. The genetic polymorphism of GP lIb-Illa (GP Ila Leu33Pro) was not noted to affect platelet aggregation. Examining the effects of genetic variations in cytochrome P450 isoform CYP2C19 (a clopidogrel metabolizer) revealed the enhanced aggregation stimulated with 20 μmol of ADP in the carriers of slowly clopidogrel-metabolizing haplotype of CYP2C19 (differences were found on days 3-5 as compared to rapidly and routinely metabolizing haplotypes).
Conclusion:
In the patients with ACS, platelet aggregation is influenced by MPV, GP IIb-IIIa levels, and CYP2C19 polymorphism and is not by GP IIb-IIIa polymorphism.
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