Time Course of Platelet Activation and von Willebrand Factor in Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation After Ischemic Stroke

Background The present study investigated serial changes in platelet activation (expressed by CD62p) and von Willebrand factor (VWF), and the correlation between increased CD62p expression, VWF and brain infarct volume (BIV: measured by magnetic resonance imaging), and prognostic determinants in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients after acute ischemic stroke (IS). Methods and Results CD62p expression and plasma VWF concentrations were serially measured ( 0.5). Linear regression analysis showed that BIV and modified Rankin scale score (>3) were independently associated with increased CD62p expression (<48 h) (both p<0.01). Furthermore, the Cox proportional hazards model showed that BIV was the only independent predictor of intermediate-term (8.8±4.4 months) combined recurrent stroke and death. Conclusions The CD62p expression, which reflected increased BIV, was significantly increased in NVAF patients in acute-phase IS and substantially declined thereafter. The BIV was predictive of unfavorable intermediate-term clinical outcomes. (Circ J 2007; 71: 321 - 326)