The Possible Role of Platelet Coagulant Activities in the Pathogenesis of Venous Thrombosis^[*]

Summary

Recent studies of the role of platelets in blood coagulation have shown that platelets can trigger intrinsic coagulation by two alternative pathways, protect platelet-associated active clotting factors from inactivation by plasma inhibitors and catalyze intrinsic coagulation reactions on the platelet surface to form fibrin. These platelet coagulant activities (i.e., contact product forming activity, collagen-induced coagulant activity, intrinsic factor-Xa forming activity and platelet factor 3 activity) were found to be increased in patients with deep vein thrombosis developing after hip surgery, in patients with established retinal vein thrombosis and in patients with established deep vein thrombosis. It is suggested that increases in platelet coagulant activities concerned with triggering and catalyzing intrinsic coagulation reactions may play a role in the pathogenesis of venous thrombosis.

^* Presented at the National Conference on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, under the auspices of the Council on Thrombosis of the American Heart Association, Dallas, Texas, November 1974.

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