Platelet Lifespan in Pregnancy Complicated by Pre-Eclampsia

Increased platelet consumption has been suggested to occur in women who develop pre-eclampsia and to play a pathogenetic role in this disorder. The approach to this problem was difficult until a non radioisotopic technique was developed to measure platelet lifespan (Stuart et al. , NEJM 1975, 292, 1310). Malondiafdehyde (MDA) is measured in platelet rich plasma (challenged with thrombin) before and at intervals after ingestion of 500 mg aspirin. The time taken for MDA values to return to baseline levels after aspirin is equal to platelet lifespan. A study is in progress to compare platelet lifespan in healthy non pregnant women, in women in the third trimester of uncomplicated pregnancy and in patients with pre-eclamps. The results obtained so far suggest that platelet lifespan in pregnancy, either normal or complicated with mild pre-eclampsia, is within the normal range. Indeed platelet lifespan was 7.6 , 9.6, 10.5, and 9.5 days in 4 women with uncomplicated pregnancy and , 10.0, 11.7, and 9.0 days In 3 patients with mild pre-eclampsia. Platel ellifespan in non pregnant women ranged between 9.4 and 12.2 days.