Platelet activation in preeclampsia

Abstract Platelet activation was assessed in hospitalized third-trimester patients with preeclampsia (n = 11) or chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia (n = 11) and in healthy outpatient pregnant controls (n = 10) by measuring plasma β-thromboglobulin, platelet factor 4, the platelet aggregate ratio, and the amount of collagen required to produce half-maximal aggregation velocity (K d ). Only plasma β-thromboglobulin levels differed significantly between patients with preeclampsia (50.1 ± 37.9; p d indicate that the increase in β-thromboglobulin is not due to an intrinsic change in platelet responsiveness, and (3) the elevation of β-thromboglobulin in patients with either preeclampsia or chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia appears to be secondary to platelet consumption in the microvasculature, although in patients with preeclampsia altered renal function may be contributory.