Serial Platelet Survival Half-Life (PS) In Peripheral Vascular Disease And Diabetes Mellitus

 

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Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota

Platelets are believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and thrombotic occlusive arterial disease. As part of a prospective study of peripheral occlusive arterial disease in diabetes mellitus, platelet survival half-life (PS) was determined in years 1 and 2 from the disappearance pattern of ⁵¹cr-labeled platelets obtained by measuring radioactivity in serial samples over 8 days in four groups of patients age 50-70. Using computer assisted least-square analysis, a single exponent is fitted to the data and half-life determined.

Groups included (1) normal subjects (NC); (2) subjects with clinical and objective evidence (transcutaneous doppler ultrasound and treadmill exercise) of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (AS0); (3) subjects with diabetes mellitus without AS0 (DM); (A) subjects with both diabetes mellitus and AS0 (DM+AS0). 112 subjects were tested in year 1 and 75 of these were available for retesting in year 2.

In year 1, there is a difference in the distribution of platelet survival (PS) for the four groups (p=.002). PS is significantly short in groups AS0 and DM+AS0 compared with controls (NC), Year 2 values for PS (75 subjects) were compared to year 1. Using the t test on mean differences PS for each group was not significantly different year 2 vs year 1; mean percent differences year 2 vs year 1 were 1.2% (NC), 0.2% (ASO), 3.2% (DM), and -9.3% (9-3% lower than year 1 for DM+ ASO).

Platelet survival half-life (PS) does distinguish popula tion groups and is reproducible when repeated.