[The change of platelet number in patient with acute myocardial infarction and its clinical significance].

Platelet number and alpha-granule membrane protein (GMP-140) level on platelet surface were determined in 20 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 20 normal subjects. The results showed that platelet number decreased significantly after AMI, especially on the second day after onset and that the level of GMP-140 increased rapidly after AMI and reached a peak on the second after the attack. Both returned to the normal on the 5-7th day after the heart attack. Correlative analysis between increase of serum CK-MB and platelet number was negative (r = -0.6123, P < 0.005), and positive between that and GMP-140 level (r = 0.5895, P < 0.01). Platelet number decreased markedly in cases with heart failure and cardiac death. The results indicate that platelets are involved in the pathological process of AMI.