Beta-thromboglobulin in patients with acute and chronic coronary artery disease.

Beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG) plasma levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 14 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), in 13 with myocardial ischemia and recurrent episodes of angina and in 14 subjects with a past history of MI. Increased beta TG plasma values were observed in patients with acute MI and with myocardial ischemia whereas subjects with a past history of MI showed results not significantly different from normal subjects. Daily measurements in acute MI showed in five cases a second peak of beta TG values which suggests the occurrence of a deep vein thrombosis. The increased platelet consumption in MI was not related with the extent of the necrosis. We suggest, therefore, that platelet activation is associated with myocardial ischemia rather than necrosis.