Relationship between hemostatic factors and the platelet index in patients with ischemic heart disease.

To understand the heterogeneity of platelets, we investigated the correlation between hemostatic factors and the platelet index [platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) and platelet distribution width (PDW)] in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Ninety-seven patients with IHD and 120 aged controls (AC) were enrolled in the study. D-dimer, thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag) and platelet indexes were measured in the peripheral venous blood. The D-dimer and TAT levels in the patients were significantly elevated compared to the AC. VWF:Ag was also elevated, but not significantly so. However, no differences were observed in the platelet index between the patients and the AC. In the patients, the level of VWF:Ag was significantly inversely correlated with the platelet count, but such correlations were not observed in the D-dimer and TAT. TAT was significantly positively correlated with MPV, P-LCR and PDW. VWF:Ag was also correlated, though not significantly, with MPV, P-LCR and PDW. The D-dimer was not correlated with the platelet index. In the AC, the platelet count was inversely correlated with VWF:Ag, but not significantly so. VWF:Ag showed significant positive correlations with MPV, P-LCR and PDW. However, the D-dimer and TAT were not correlated with the platelet index in AC. These findings suggest that VWF:Ag and TAT seem to be profoundly related to platelet volume.