Alteration of platelet aggregation in patients with thyroid disorders

To determine whether Graves' disease or primary hypothyroidism influence platelet function, we evaluated platelet aggregation in the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from such patients. Platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) in blood obtained from patients with untreated Graves' disease was significantly lower than normal, whereas that in patients with untreated primary hypothyroidism was relatively increased. The magnitude of platelet aggregation induced by collagen in both groups of patients resembled that induced by ADP. However, significant differences were evident between the two diseases (P < .05). In addition, we observed a significant inverse correlation between the extent of platelet aggregation and plasma levels of thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine [T3], thyroxine [T4], and free T3). Platelet aggregation returned to normal when the euthyroid condition was obtained in the patients following administration of antithyroid drugs or thyroid hormone. The findings are consistent with the possibility that thyroid hormones influence platelet aggregation partly via inhibition of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK).