Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with platelet hyperactivation in metabolic syndrome patients

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), in which platelet hyperactivation plays a pivotal role. The purpose of this study was to evaluate platelet function in MetS patients using Platelet Function Analyzer-100 (PFA-100) and to explore the risk factors for platelet hyperactivity in MetS.

We investigated participants who were enrolled for health check-up in our department. Routine physical examinations and fasting blood sample tests were performed when participants visited the hospital. MetS was defined as ≥3 of the risk factors according to the Harmonised criteria: central obesity, hypertension (HP), hypertriglyceridemia, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol and hyperglycaemia. Participants were divided into a MetS group (≥3), normal control (NC) group (0) and non-MetS group (1-2) according to the numbers of the five risk factors. Platelet function was tested by PFA-100, which measures the time taken for blood to occlude an aperture (closure time [CT]). All continuous data were compared using Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test according to the data distribution. Categorical data were compared using the chi-square test. Logistic regression was used to investigate the independent risk marker for PFA-100 CT values.

A total of 831 participants (611 males and 220 females) was included in our subject. The MetS group had significantly shorter CT values compared with the NC group (106 (52-181) s vs 111 (70-210) s, P < .05) and the non-MetS Group (106 (52-181) s vs 113 (73-197) s, P < .05). Higher body mass index, hypertriglyceridemia and HP were correlated with shorter CT values (P < .05). Logistic regression analyses indicated that hypertriglyceridemia was an independent risk marker for shorter PFA-100 CT values (P < .05).

Our results indicate the presence of platelet hyperactivation in MetS patients and that hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk marker for it. Triglyceride-lowering treatment may reduce CVD risk in MetS individuals.