Association of platelet-derived microvesicles with high on-treatment platelet reactivity in convalescent ischemic stroke patients treated with acetylsalicylic acid.

Introduction: Elevated concentrations of platelet-derived microvesicles are found in cerebrovascular diseases. The impact of acetylsalicylic acid on these microvesicles remains inconsistent, despite its well-established effect on platelet aggregation. High residual platelet aggregation is defined as high on-treatment platelet reactivity, while “treatment failure” is the occurrence of vascular events despite antiplatelet treatment.

Effect of acetylsalicylic acid intake on platelet derived microvesicles in healthy subjects.

Platelet-derived microvesicles (pMVs) are released from platelets in physiological and pathological conditions and exhibit a wide range of prothrombotic, antithrombotic, proatherogenic, and pro-inflammatory properties. Antiplatelet agents, such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), are widely used for the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases, but their impact on pMV release remains poorly understood and contradictory mainly because of discrepancies in the methodology and lack of well-standardized MV assessment protocols. The present study investigated the effects of ASA not only on total pMV release but also on their phenotypes defined using the surface expression of pro-inflammatory (CD40L, CD62P, CD31) and procoagulant (PS, PAC-1) markers in healthy subjects.

Association of platelet-derived microvesicles and their phenotypes with carotid atherosclerosis and recurrent vascular events in patients after ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Platelet-derived microvesicles (pMVs) exhibit procoagulant and proinflammatory properties and play a role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The study examined the association between the total number of pMVs and their phenotypes with carotid atherosclerosis and recurrent vascular events (VEs) in patients in the convalescent phase of ischemic stroke (IS).

Materials And Methods: The study group consisted of 72 patients with IS secondary to large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (n = 40) and small arteries occlusion (SAO) (n = 32) and 69 matched cardiovascular disease risk-factor (RF) controls.