A Comparison of Platelet Stickiness Tests during an Atromid-S Trial

Summary

Seven patients were studied before and throughout 16 weeks’ treatment with Atromid-S. The typical cholesterol-lowering effect of this drug was found. The bleeding time increased considerably in 6 out of 7 patients, but platelet adhesiveness tested in a glass filter and in the Wright Rotator was not decreased.

New methods recently devised for the quantitation of the platelet response to adenosine diphosphate, adrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and “collagen” were used. The average response to collagen decreased slightly and that to adrenaline increased slightly during the treatment period. The response to 5-hydroxytryptamine, the collagen and the Wright tests were significantly interrelated but no other associations were found between any “stickiness” tests or between these tests and the serum cholesterol or uric acid levels. Accordingly, most test seem to measure different and in independent parameters of platelet behaviour.

• References

• 1 Allan R. D. An automated modification of Eichhorns uric acid method. J. med. Lab. Technol 21: 240 1964;
• 2 Borchgrevink G. F. A method of measuring platelet adhesiveness in vivo. Acta med. scand 168: 157 1960;
• 3 Carson P, McDonald L, Pickard S, Pilkington T, Davies B, Love F. Effect of atromid on platelet stickiness. J. atheroscler. Res 3: 619 1963;
• 4 Emmons P. R, Mitchell J. R. A. Post-operative changes in platelet clumping activity. Lancet 1: 71 1965;
• 5 Feissly R, Lüdin H. Microscopie par contrastes de phases, applications à l’hématologie. Rev. Hémat 4: 481 1949;
• 6 Horlick L. Platelet adhesiveness in normal persons and in subjects with atherosclerosis. Effect of high fat meals and anti-coagulants on the adhesive index. Amer. J. Card 7: 459 1961;
• 7 Moolten S. E, Vroman L. The adhesiveness of blood platelets in thromboembolism and haemorrhagic disorders. I. Measurement of platelet adhesiveness by the glass filter. Amer. J. clin. Path 19: 701 1949;
• 8 O’Brien J. R. The adhesiveness of native platelets and its prevention. J. clin. Path 14: 140 1961;
• 9 O’Brien J. R. Variability in the aggregation of human platelets by adrenaline. Nature (Lond.) 202: 1188 1964; a
• 10 O’Brien J. R. A comparison of platelet aggregation produced by seven compounds and a comparison of their inhibitors. J. clin. Path 17: 275 1964; b
• 11 O’Brien J. R, Heywood J. B. The quantitation of platelet aggregation induced by four compounds: A study in relation to myocardial infarction. Thrombos. Diath. haemorrh. (Stuttg.) 16: 752 1966; a
• 12 O’Brien J. R, Heywood J. B. The mean platelet shape: The effect of aggregating agents and their inhibitors. J. clin. Path 19: 148 1966; b
• 13 Oliver M. F. Reduction of serum lipids and uric acid levels by an orally active androsterone. Lancet J: 1321 1962;
• 14 Oliver M. F. Further observations on the effects of atromid and of ethyl chlorophenoxyiso-butyrate on serum lipid levels. J. atheroscler. Res 3: 427 1963;
• 15 Oliver M. F, Roberts S. D, Hayes D, Pantridge J. F, Suzman M. M, Bersohn I. Effect of Atromid and ethyl chlorophenoxyisobutyrate on anti-coagulant requirements. Lancet I: 143 1963;
• 16 Pearson S, Stern S, McGavack T. H. A rapid procedure for the determination of serum cholesterol. J. clin. Endocr 12: 1245 1952;
• 17 Rogen A. S, Fergusson J. C. Clinical observations on patients treated with Atromid and anti-coagulants. J. atheroscler. Res 3: 671 1963;
• 18 Symons C, Toszeghi A, Cook I. J. Y. Effect of ethyl chlorophenoxyisobutyrate with and without androsterone on platelet stickiness. Lancet II: 233 1964;