Progress in the Understanding of Sticky Platelet Syndrome

The knowledge on the etiology of thrombosis has increased tremendously over the past decades. Nevertheless, Virchow triad is still traditionally invoked to explain mechanisms leading to thrombosis, alleging concerted roles for abnormalities in blood composition, vessel wall components, and blood flow in the development of arterial and venous thrombosis. Recent decades have been focused primarily on describing abnormalities in blood composition, including defects of coagulation proteins and platelets. Although defects of coagulation factors are relatively well-described in the literature, prothrombotic platelet disorders are still less understood. One such defect, the Wien-Penzing defect was first described in 1991. Another platelet defect is sticky platelet syndrome (SPS). In this article, we review information about SPS, and we propose a new definition and standardization of diagnostic criteria. We also attempt to explain the causes and consequences of this condition.