A Simple Nonradioisotope Technic for the Determination of Platelet Life-Span

Abstract

Acetylsalicylic acid was shown both in vivo and in vitro to prevent the platelet lipid peroxidation normally induced by the aggregating agents thrombin and epinephrine, and the sulfhydryl inhibitor Ν-ethylmaleimide. After aspirin ingestion, there was a significant reduction (p < 0.0005) in platelet lipid peroxidation, with a gradual return to base-line values over a 10-day period. With these values, a normal platelet survival curve was constructed with a mean half-life of 4.4 days (range of 2.9 to 5.9 days). These values agree with the standard ⁵¹Cr survival curves. Confirmation of the reliability of this technic was obtained with simultaneous ⁵¹Cr survivals in three patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Half-lives of 1.0, 2.5, and 4.1 days by lipid peroxide technic compared with 1.9, 2.5, and 3.9 days by the concurrent use of ⁵¹Cr. Thus, the technic may be used to measure platelet survival. (N Engl J Med 292:1310–1313, 1975)