In‐vivo platelet activation correlates with red cell anionic phospholipid exposure in patients with β‐thalassaemia major

• Published in: British journal of haematology 1997-07, Vol.98 (1), p.51-56
• Main Authors: Ruf, Andreas, Pick, Marjorie, Deutsch, Varda, Patscheke, Heinrich, Goldfarb, Ada, Rachmilewitz, Eliezer A., Guillin, Marie C., Eldor, Amiram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Annexin A5 - metabolism; annexin V; Antigens, CD - metabolism; beta-Thalassemia - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Coagulation Disorders - blood; Blood Coagulation Disorders - etiology; Child; Diseases of red blood cells; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; hypercoagulability; Male; Medical sciences; P-Selectin - metabolism; platelet activation; Platelet Activation - physiology; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins - metabolism; p‐selectin; Tetraspanin 30; β‐thalassaemia major
• ISSN: 0007-1048; 1365-2141
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1997.1502965.x

Several clinical and laboratory findings suggest the presence of a chronic hypercoagulable state in patients with β‐thalassaemia major (TM). We have previously shown that isolated TM red blood cells (RBC) strongly enhance prothrombin activation, suggesting an increased membrane exposure of procoagulant phospholipids (i.e. phosphatidylserine). In this study we quantitated the procoagulant activity of RBC in TM and thalassaemia intermedia (TI) patients. We also determined the fraction of activated platelets expressing p‐selectin (CD62p) or CD63 in these subjects. Both assays were performed by dual‐colour flow cytometry. A significantly (P