HABITUAL DIET, PLATELET-FUNCTION, FIBRINOGEN AND FACTOR-VII COAGULANTACTIVITY IN YOUNG FINNS

Objectives. The objective of the study was to determine whether an ass ociation between diet and platelet function, plasma fibrinogen level a nd factor VII coagulant activity (VII:C) could be established in young subjects. Design. Data on the habitual diet of the subjects were coll ected either by a questionnaire on food habits (n = 204) or by a 48-h dietary recall interview (n = 53). Subjects. The subjects were partici pants in the project 'Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns' (age range 1 5-30 years). A total of 204 subjects having a questionnaire on food ha bits participated in the platelet function tests and 53 also participa ted in a 48-h dietary recall interview. Plasma fibrinogen concentratio n and factor VII:C were measured from 79 subjects. Main outcome measur es. Platelet function was tested by turbidometric measurement of plate let aggregation using ADP and collagen as aggregation agents. Results. Platelet aggregation with ADP (at up to 4.0 mu mol L(-1)) and collage n (at up to 5.0 mu g mL(-1) platelet-rich plasma PRP) showed that the diet characterized as 'saturated', i.e. containing high-fat milk and s aturated fat, was associated with platelets less sensitive to aggregat ing agents in vitro when compared to the unsaturated type of diet. Col lagen-but not ADP-induced aggregation decreased with age of the subjec ts (P = 0.026-0.057, regression coefficient). An inverse regression co efficient between plasma factor VII:C (101%; range 64-145%) and serum trigycerides (P = 0.006) and the intake of rye (g 1000 kcal-l; P = 0.0 3) were found. Conclusions. In this study we showed that platelet reac tivity and factor VII:C already differ considerably between subjects a t a young age, and diet may explain some of this variation.