Summary
A coronary care unit population of 175 consecutive patients was studied. A clinical
diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was made in 103 cases (MI group) while 72
had chest pain, ECG indications of myocardial ischaemia, but no other clinical signs
of acute myocardial infarction (control group). Based on bivariate Gaussian statistics
the MI group could be divided in two groups, with respect to the platelet parameters
of count and volume. The majority (65%) had large mean platelet volume and low count,
while the remainder were indistinguishable from the control group. Patients with a
large mean platelet volume also had significantly different volume distributions when
assessed for volume dispersion, asymmetry and convexity. It is argued that this platelet
volume distribution provides a signature for the prethrombotic state in ischaemic
heart disease. Identification of such a platelet signature in a patient with coronary
artery disease may allow appropriate prophylactic action to be taken and reduce the
risk of subsequent acute myocardial infarction.
Keywords
Coronary heart disease - Platelet volume - Prethrombotic state
