Combined leukocyte and erythrocyte aggregation in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objectives: To determine whether the increased aggregability of both white and red blood cells previously reported in acute myocardial infarction (aMI ) correlates with each other. Design: Cross-sectional study comparing two g roups of patients and a group of healthy controls. Setting: A tertiary univ ersity affiliated hospital (Intensive Cardiac Care Unit and Department of G eneral Internal Medicine). Patients: Consecutive patients with aMI, patient s with chest pain and no infarction. and healthy controls. Measurements and results: We adapted a simple slide test and image analysis to reveal the s tate of both leukocyte: and erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation in the per ipheral blood of patients with aMI. A significant (P=0.0001) increment in t he aggregation of both cellular populations was noted in 48 patients with a MI as opposed to the 141 patients with ischemic heart disease and no infarc tion and in 45 matched controls. In addition, a significant correlation was noted between the various variables of the leukocyte and erythrocyte adhes iveness/aggregation tests. Conclusions: The significant correlation between the aggregability of white and red blood cells in patients with aMI is sug gestive of there being a commonly shared adhesive protein(s). The prompt id entification of patients with increased aggregation might have clinical and therapeutic implications. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All right s reserved.