Blood, 1960, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 1439-1446.
© 1960 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Platelets and Platelet Phosphatides in Uremia
GERALD ALTSCHULER 1,
AARON J. MARCUS 1, and
HARRIS L. ULLMAN 1
1 Veterans Administration Hospital, and Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, N. Y.
1. The platelets of 20 uremic subjects were studied, utilizing the following
procedures; phase platelet count, serum prothrombin time, thromboplastin
generation test with evaluation of plasma, serum, and platelet reagents.
2. Platelet phospholipids from these subjects were used as reagents in the
thromboplastin generation test and examined by means of silicic acid paper
and column chromatography.
3. Thrombocytopenia was the most common abnormality encountered and
was associated with either normal or abnormal prothrombin consumption. Some
patients demonstrated defective prothrombin utilization despite normal platelet counts, but their platelets had normal thromboplastic activity, as did those
of all patients studied.
4. The paper chromatographic pattern of the phosphatides in all subjects was
the same as that reported for normal platelets. Similar results were obtained
on column chromatographic analysis of a pooled extract from nine of the
uremic patients.
5. On the basis of these studies it was not possible to demonstrate a qualitative platelet defect in uremia.
Submitted on February 8, 1960
Accepted on May 4, 1960
