PLATELET ACTIVATION IN CONGENITAL HEART-DISEASES

The research presented hen investigated platelet activation in cyanoti c and acyanotic congenital heart diseases (CHD). Children with cyanoti c CHD are prone to both thrombosis and hemorrhage. However, patients w ith acyanotic CHD may also have a mild bleeding disorder. The platelet activation in CHD was investigated in support of a hypothesis that pl atelet activation may play a role in the hemostatic abnormalities repo rted in these patients. Platelet activation was determined by using ho w cytometry with anti-CD62 monoclonal antibody (mAb), which has been s hown to be a specific marker of platelet activation. Thirteen children with cyanotic CHD, 33 children with acyanotic CHD and 17 healthy chil dren serving as controls were studied. Platelet activation was signifi cantly higher in the cyanotic group and also in the acyanotic group co mpared with the healthy children (P = 0.0000 and P = 0.019, respective ly). In the cyanotic group, platelet activation showed a direct correl ation with arterial O-2 saturation (Sao(2)) (P = 0.014). There was no correlation between platelet activation and erythrocyte related parame ters in either group. Platelet activation occurs in CHD, particularly in patients with cyanotic CHD (even in patients with no evidence of cl inical thrombosis) and it may play a role in the pathogenesis of throm botic disorders seen in these patients.