Platelet apheresis affects prothrombin time and plasminogen levels in healthy donors.

There are few studies evaluating whether platelet apheresis has an effect on hemostasis parameters or not. The aim of this study was to define the effects of platelet apheresis on hemostasis screening tests and plasminogen levels. The study was performed on 40 healthy donors. We compared the values obtained before and after apheresis and observed that the prothombin time (PT) elongated, plasminogen levels decreased and the activated partial thromboplastin and thrombin times were not changed significantly. The differences were not high enough to cause any hemostasis problem. It can be hypothesized that platelet apheresis affects PT and plasminogen levels in healthy donors.

Platelet aggregation is not enhanced in patients with prediabetes.

Prediabetes [impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG)] is a major risk factor for T2DM as well as for cardiovascular disease and mortality. In the present study, the platelet aggregation and fibrinogen levels were investigated in prediabetic subjects who had no confounding factors such as hypertension, obesity or dyslipidemia. Thirty-nine subjects with prediabetes (24 IFG and 15 IGT) and age, sex and BMI matched 36 healthy controls were enrolled. Platelet aggregation, fibrinogen and hsCRP levels, HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta indexes were determined. Platelet aggregation induced by collagen, epinephrine or ADP was not different (p=0.93, p=0.90 and p=0.29, respectively) between two groups, whereas fibrinogen levels were significantly higher (p=0.006) in the prediabetics when compared to controls. hsCRP levels, HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta indexes in the two groups were not different. The power of the study was calculated according to the results and established as 0.97 for collagen, 0.95 for epinephrine and 0.83 for ADP. Despite the high plasma fibrinogen levels, the platelet aggregation in prediabetics was not different when compared to healthy controls. These data suggest that platelet aggregation may not be involved in the mechanism of prothrombotic state in prediabetic state.