Abnormality in the Aggregation of Blood Platelets in Various Morbid Conditions and the Influence of Prostaglandins upon this Abnormality

Summary

In two young patients (belonging to the same family) with von Willebrand’s disease, an anomaly of the function of the blood platelets was observed, viz. a normal rapid initial aggregation of the platelets after addition of ADP, which after a few minutes was followed by an extraordinarily rapid disaggregation. This anomaly has very recently been described as an isolated anomaly. The same anomalous aggregation could be demonstrated in plasma of the father of the two patients, but he did not have von Willebrand’s disease.

Some other observations of abnormally rapid disaggregation with ADP, after a normal initial aggregation, observed by us in patients with various morbid conditions, are communicated.

The remarkable inhibiting action of one of prostaglandins (PGE₁), even in very small amounts upon the ADP induced platelet aggregation could be confirmed. PGE₂ also in very small amounts, markedly increased the aggregation by ADP in the cases investigated by us and was able to normalize the anomalous aggregation. It had, however, no effect on the absence of platelet aggregation with ADP in Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia.

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