Diabetic Platelets Are Not Resistant to Aspirin Inhibition

Abstract

3324 A daily aspirin in patients with myocardial infarctions (MI) effectively reduces the risk of occlusive vascular disease by 25%. This protective effect is reduced or absent in diabetics possibly because aspirin induced inhibition of platelet function is diminished. We tested the hypothesis that the amount of aspirin induced inhibition of platelets in diabetics is decreased. Methods: Each subject was evaluated at 2 time points: off-aspirin and 2-hours after observed ingestion of a 325mg aspirin tablet. Platelets were stimulated in a light aggregometer with platelet prostaglandin agonist (PPA). The slope of the PPA aggregation curve decreases with aspirin inhibition and is a sensitive measure of the amount of aspirin induced platelet inhibition (Schwartz J. Lab Clin Med 2002;139:227). Light aggregometry with arachidonic acid was used to verify that the patients had or had not taken aspirin. Maximal aspirin induced decrease in platelet function was defined as the difference between the PPA aggregation curve slopes at the 2 time points, off-aspirin and 2-hours post aspirin ingestion. 187 adult subjects (62% male 38% female) divided into four groups were studied, MI patients without diabetes n=98, diabetics with an MI n=41, diabetics without an MI n=9, and normal subjects n=39. Results: Comparisons of the PPA slopes of the 4 groups showed that diabetics had higher slopes than non-diabetics. Platelets from diabetics with and without an MI had significantly (p<0.05) increased off aspirin platelet reactivity (PPA slope) compared to normals. At the 2 hr time point patients with diabetes and an MI had a significantly higher PPA slope than the MI without diabetes group. Maximum aspirin induced decrease in platelet function was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.32, p=0.002). When controlled for age, there was no difference in the maximum decrease in platelet function among the 4 groups. Conclusions: 1. Platelets from diabetic patients with and without MI have increased platelet reactivity to PPA. 2. The maximum decrease in platelet function observed in diabetic patients with and without an MI was similar to that observed in MI patients without diabetes and in normals. This suggests that the decreased protection from future vascular events observed with aspirin in diabetic patients is not because of an intrinsic resistance to aspirin inhibition of platelets. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.