A Method for the Measurement of Platelet Adhesiveness by Use of Dialysis Membranes in a Test‐Cell

Abstract

Summary. As part of a study of the thrombogenic properties of dialysis membranes a test‐cell has been devised in which the retention of platelets in the presence of different membranes can be measured. This provides a test for platelet adhesiveness which in certain aspects is more sensitive and reproducible than a glass bead column technique. The normal range for platelet adhesiveness was found to be 31 ± 9% using whole blood and 19 ± 3% using platelet‐rich plasma. The platelet adhesiveness value was largely independent of the packed red cell volume but was, in part, dependent upon the presence of adenosine diphosphate. The membrane test‐cell system was sensitive enough to demonstrate a constant and significant fall in platelet adhesiveness following salicylate ingestion. It was convenient in use as blood anticoagulated with 3.8% sodium citrate allowed delays of up to 1 hr without influencing the result. Heparin was found to have an inhibitory effect on platelet adhesiveness. The use of twin test‐cells allowed platelet adhesion to two different dialysis membranes to be studied simultaneously. It was found that fewer platelets adhered to Cuprophan PT 150 membranes than to PT 300 membranes suggesting that PT 150 membranes may be less thrombogenic in vivo.

Effect of intravenous prostaglandin E2on platelet function, coagulation, and fibrinolysis

“…The glass bead column method of testing platelet adhesiveness is related to the release ofADP and other substances from red cells which have been disrupted. In contrast, retention of platelets in the membrane test cell is apparently independent of haematocrit or exogenous ADP release (Lindsay et al, 1973). Since PGE2 may exert its effect on platelets by inhibiting ADP release, the glass bead method may swamp the effect of PGE2 on platelets by releasing large amounts of aggregating substances from the red cells.…”

“…Platelet adhesiveness to a cellophane membrane in a test cell was measured by the method of Lindsay, Prentice, Ferguson, Muir, and McNicol (1973). In this method, 10 ml of citrated blood is passed over a cellophane membrane and platelet counts are performed on the blood before and after being passed through the cell to calculate the retention of platelets.…”

The Adhesion of Platelets to Subendothelium, Collagen and Artificial Surfaces

“…A number of methods are now available for the study of platelet adhesion as an isolated event [4548]. Lyman and his co-workers [49][50][51] have studied platelet adhesion to artificial surfaces under flow conditions. These studies were extended by others [52,53].…”

Acetylsalicylic Acid, Hemostasis and Human Thromboembolism

“…Depending on the methods used for in vitro measurement of platelet adhesiveness, aspirin sometimes is shown to reduce [7,30,106,128,152,153,174,177,201,224,256,269,279] and sometimes to have no effect on [18,20,136,168,187,219,243,276] platelet adherence to surfaces. Thus a number of studies have demonstrated that platelet retention in glass bead columns [201,224,256], or platelet adhesiveness to glass coverslips [174] or to connective tissue fibers [106,279], using undiluted or diluted [174] platelet-rich plasma, is reduced after aspirin, whereas methods using whole blood usually showed normal adhesiveness after aspirin [18,276].…”