Erythrocyte aggregability in patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract

Erythrocyte aggregation (EA) rates were measured at stasis (M) and at 3 sec⁻¹ (M1) in four groups: healthy controls (HC) and three groups of coronary heart disease (CHD); stable angina pectoris (SAP), unstable angina pectoris (USAP) and post myocardial infarction (PostMI) patients. All CHD patients had similar risk factors. EA values were significantly higher. at M and M1 in USAP and PostMI groups than HC and SAP (p<0.0001). These values were also higher in men than women in premenopause (p<0.001) in HC group, but after menopause the differences were not significant (p>0.05). Since EA is higher in more severe forms of CHD (USAP and PostMI) and atherosclerosis is more common in men than women before menopause, it is possible that EA might play a role in the development of especially severe forms of CHD.