TIMING AND COURSE OF LEUKOCYTE AGGREGATION IN MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

In order to evaluate the pathophysiological relevance and clinical imp lications of leukocyte theology in myocardial ischaemia we measured th e percentage of aggregated leukocytes in 43 subjects with acute subste rnal pain before diagnosis. The percentage of aggregated leukocytes wa s significantly higher in 16 patients with subsequent diagnosis of myo cardial infarction with respect to 11 with angina and 16 with non isch aemic chest pain (4.75 +/- 0.88, 3.43 +/- 0.65 and 1.52 +/- 0.32 respe ctively p < 0.01). The percentage of aggregated leukocytes was also ev aluated in another group of 46 patients hospitalized for myocardial in farction. Among these, aggregated leukocytes were significantly higher in those with residual ischaemia, with respect to those without resid ual ischaemia (7.4 +/- 1.1 vs 3.5 +/- 0.6: p < 0.01). In conclusiou, l eukocyte aggregation is precociously increased after myocardial ischae mia. It may be a marker of residual ischaemia in patients with myocard ial infarction.