Platelet Metabolism in Alcohol-related Thrombocytopenia

Summary

The carbohydrate metabolism of platelets from patients with alcohol-related thrombocytopenia was studied. Rates of utilization and oxidation of ¹⁴C-glueose, ¹⁴C-lactate production, and pentose cycle activity were measured in resting platelets and in platelets stimulated with thrombin or epinephrine. The metabolism of resting platelets from patients with alcohol-related thrombocytopenia was normal but the metabolic responses to stimulation differed from normal : stimulation with thrombin was associated with subnormal ¹⁴C-lactate production and normal ¹⁴CO₂ production and that with epinephrine was associated with normal ¹⁴C-lactate production and subnormal ¹⁴CO₂ production. Addition of ethanol to normal platelets in vitro produced increases in ¹⁴C-glucose utilization and ¹⁴C-lactate production but not in ¹⁴C-glucose oxidation. Ethanol added to normal platelets in vitro did not affect the metabolic response to thrombin stimulation but produced a 50% reduction in the response to epinephrine. Platelet dysfunction in patients with alcohol-related thrombocytopenia is not due to quantitative abnormalities in platelet energy production. Ethanol appears, however, to alter the metabolic response to nucleotide release and degradation.

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