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Updated: Aug 20, 2025

Microfluidics in Assessing Platelet Function
Published on: November 8, 2024
Platelet Reactivity and Clinical Outcomes After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation: Results From the PTRG-DES Consortium
Seung-Jun Lee1, Jung-Joon Cha2, Young-Hoon Jeong3
1Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Insights
High platelet reactivity after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) significantly increases risks for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and death. Monitoring platelet reactivity units (PRUs) can help predict long-term outcomes post-PCI.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The long-term prognostic significance of platelet reactivity following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains incompletely understood.
- Assessing platelet function is crucial for optimizing antiplatelet therapy and patient outcomes after stenting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of platelet reactivity on long-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PCI.
- To determine the prognostic value of P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs) and aspirin reaction units in predicting adverse events post-PCI.
Main Methods:
- A large cohort of 11,714 patients undergoing PCI between 2003 and 2018 was analyzed.
- Patients were stratified into tertiles based on P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs): high (≥253), intermediate (188-252), and low (<188).
- Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and net adverse clinical events (NACE) were assessed over 5 years using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models.
Main Results:
- High PRU levels (≥253) were significantly associated with increased rates of MACCE and all-cause death at both 1 and 5 years post-PCI.
- A PRU cutoff of ≥252 strongly predicted MACCE (HR: 1.39) and all-cause death (HR: 1.42) at 5 years.
- An aspirin reaction unit cutoff of ≥414 also significantly predicted MACCE and all-cause death at 5 years.
Conclusions:
- Elevated platelet reactivity, indicated by high PRUs, is a significant predictor of MACCE, all-cause death, and NACE up to 5 years after PCI.
- Monitoring platelet reactivity post-PCI is essential for risk stratification and management of patients.
- The findings support the clinical utility of PRU monitoring in guiding antiplatelet therapy decisions.
Background:
The long-term prognostic implication of platelet reactivity after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not clearly known.
Objectives:
The impacts of platelet reactivity from the PTRG-DES consortium were assessed.
Methods:
The primary endpoint was the major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, or stroke. Key secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality, major bleeding, and net adverse clinical events (NACE), including MACCE and bleeding.
Results:
Between 2003 and 2018, a total of 11,714 patients were enrolled and grouped into tertiles according to P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs): high PRUs (≥253), intermediate PRUs (188-252), and low PRUs (<188). The Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates of the primary outcome were significantly different across the groups; the high-PRU group showed the highest MACCE rate at 5 years (12.9%, 11.1%, and 7.0% in high-, intermediate-, and low-PRU groups, respectively; P < 0.001), as well as at 1 year (P < 0.001). The high-PRU group had the greatest KM estimates of all-cause death (8.2%, 5.9%, and 3.7%, respectively; P < 0.001) at 5 years without significant differences of major bleeding, and resultant of a higher KM estimates of NACE (15.7%, 13.6%, and 9.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). A PRU ≥252, the best cutoff value, was strongly related to MACCE (HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.11-1.74; P = 0.003) and all-cause death at 5 years after PCI (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.04-1.94; P = 0.026). The optimal cutoff value of aspirin reaction units predicting the MACCE occurrence was ≥414 and was significantly associated with 5-year MACCE occurrence or all-cause death (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
In this large-scale cohort, high PRU was significantly associated with occurrence of MACCE, all-death death, and NACE at 5 years, as well as 1 year after PCI. (PTRG-DES Consortium [PTRG]; NCT04734028).
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