Habitual diet, platelet function, fibrinogen and factor VII coagulant activity in young Finns

The objective of the study was to determine whether an association between diet and platelet function, plasma fibrinogen level and factor VII coagulant activity (VII:C) could be established in young subjects.

Data on the habitual diet of the subjects were collected either by a questionnaire on food habits (n = 204) or by a 48-h dietary recall interview (n = 53).

The subjects were participants in the project 'Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns' (age range 15-30 years). A total of 204 subjects having a questionnaire on food habits participated in the platelet function tests and 53 also participated in a 48-h dietary recall interview. Plasma fibrinogen concentration and factor VII: C were measured from 79 subjects.

Platelet function was tested by turbidometric measurement of platelet aggregation using ADP and collagen as aggregation agents.

Platelet aggregation with ADP (at up to 4.0 mumol L-1) and collagen (at up to 5.0 micrograms mL-1 platelet-rich plasma PRP) showed that the diet characterized as 'saturated', i.e. containing high-fat milk and saturated fat, was associated with platelets less sensitive to aggregating agents in vitro when compared to the unsaturated type of diet. Collagen- but not ADP-induced aggregation decreased with age of the subjects (P = 0.026-0.057, regression coefficient). An inverse regression coefficient between plasma factor VII:C (101%; range 64-145%) and serum triglycerides (P = 0.006) and the intake of rye (g 1000 kcal-1; P = 0.03) were found.

In this study we showed that platelet reactivity and factor VII:C already differ considerably between subjects at a young age, and diet may explain some of this variation.