Comparison of the effect of acetylsalicylic acid on platelet function in male and female patients with ischemic stroke.

The aim of this study was to observe whether acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) had different effects in both sexes. Out of the ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), those who had not taken ASA or ASA-like drugs for more than 2 weeks were selected for this study. For the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, computed tomography (CT) of the brain was performed in all cases, and for differential diagnosis, other necessary procedures were employed in a few cases. The serum salicylate (SA) level was measured by Trinder's method, thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by radioimmunoassay, threshold concentration of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) by Born's method, and circulating platelet aggregates (CPA) by Wu and Hoak's method. The present study showed that the means of serum SA levels after administration of the same dose of ASA were not significantly different between the two sexes. After ingestion of ASA, a single dose of 75 mg, 300 mg or 600 mg, or 300 mg 4 times a day, mean plasma TXB2 levels were significantly suppressed and mean threshold concentrations of ADP were significantly elevated in the two sexes. After administration of above-mentioned various doses of ASA, the abnormally high plasma TXB2 levels and abnormally low threshold concentrations of ADP and CPA ratios were significantly normalized in both male and female patients. Plasma 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels were not influenced by ingestion of ASA 75 mg, but significantly depressed by administration of ASA 300 mg in both sexes. There were no sex differences in the antiplatelet effect of ASA in this experiment.