Rapid change of platelet aggregability in acute hyperglycemia - Detection by a novel laser-light scattering method

We examined the alteration of platelet aggregability in acute hyperglycemia during 75-gram oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). Twenty subjects underw ent 75-gram OGTT and venous blood samples were obtained before (0 min), 60, 120 and 180 min postload. Platelet aggregability shown as the number of sm all platelet aggregates was measured with a novel laser-light scattering (L S) method. Platelet aggregability increased in parallel with both glucose a nd immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels. The number of mean small aggregates at 60 min (12.30 +/- 1.10 X 10(4)) was significantly higher than the one a t 0 min (8.32 +/- 0.88 X 10(4), p <0.001), 120 min (10.63 +/- 0.98 X 10(4), p <0.05) and 180 min (8.28 +/- 0.84 x 10(4), p <0.001) (mean +/- SEM). Sma ll aggregates correlated positively with plasma glucose levels at 60 min po stload (r = 0.67, p = 0.001) while not with IRI. It might be important to s uppress transient hyperglycemia for preventing the onset of acute coronary syndromes that could be closely related to platelet hyperaggregability.