No abstract

The investigation of in vitro platelet functions from patients with SLE and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) revealed a distinctly reduced aggregation mass after both collagen und ADP induction. The platelet serotonin contents were significantly decreased in both groups. An "aspirin-like" platelet defect could be excluded by finding a normal malonyldialdehyde release of patients' platelets upon thrombin stimulation. Significantly increased platelet associated IgG was also detected, whereas platelet associated IgM remained within normal limits. These results are interpreted as indicating an ongoing platelet release reaction induced by IgG platelet antibodies, which induce the observed impairment of platelet functions and may also lead to the release of proinflammatory platelet mediators.