Platelet aggregation and platelet sensitivity-behaviour during normal and abnormal glucose tolerance testing

Platelet aggregation response to ADP and platelet sensitivity to the antiaggregatory prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) were measured in 15 patients and 8 healthy volunteers undergoing intravenous glucose tolerance testing (GTT). Eight patients (5 female, 3 male, 44-57a) showed pathological GTT, in 7 patients (6 female, 1 male, 39-55a) and the healthy volunteers (6 female, 2 male, 24-39a) a normal response was monitored. After GTT in patients with pathological GTT the slope of the ADP-induced aggregation curve was diminished showing high variations, whereas the height of the aggregation curve remained unaltered. The platelet sensitivity to PGI2 was significantly (p less than 0.05) decreased during the performance of GTT and returned to prevalues until the end of GTT. In the patients as well as in the healthy volunteers with normal GTT no change could be monitored during the test. However, healthy volunteers showed significant (p less than 0.05) lower prevalues. The findings indicate, that an abnormal glucose tolerance is associated with a decreased platelet sensitivity to PGI2.