Prospective assessment of platelet function in patients undergoing elective resection of glioblastoma multiforme

This prospective study was aimed to test changes in hemostasis in patients with GBM, occurring at baseline (before surgery, time 0, T0) and 2 (T2), 24 (T24), and 48-hour (T48) after surgery. We enrolled consecutive patients subjected to GBM resection (GBR group; N = 60), laparoscopic colon cancer resection (comparative CCR group; N = 40), and healthy blood donors (HBD group; N = 40). We performed 1. conventional coagulation tests 2. ROTEM (rotational thromboelastometry) parameters and 3. platelet function tests, including PFA-200 closure time when stimulated by collagen/epinephrine (COL-EPI) and ROTEM platelet, using three different activators (arachnoid acid in ARATEM, adenosine diphosphate in ADPTEM, and thrombin receptor-activating peptide-6 in TRAPTEM). Variables associated with unfavorable 1-year clinical outcome were investigated, too. We observed in GBR patients that platelet aggregometry, as assessed by ROTEM platelet parameters, was significantly impaired along with a shortened closure time. These changes were evident from T0 to T48. A decreased area under the aggregation curve in TRAPTEM was associated with improved survival (adjusted odd ratio (95% CI), 1.03 (1.01-1.06)). This study suggests that patients with GBM presented a decreased platelet aggregation from before surgery and thorough the postoperative period. Decreased platelet aggregation improved clinical outcome.