Clinical significance of platelet-leukocyte aggregates in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective To research the clinical significance of leukocyte-platelet aggregates(PLA)in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods Sixty-five patients with acute cerebral infarction and 24 controls.The levels of PLA,platelet-neutrophil aggregates(PNA),platelet-lymphocyte aggregates(PLyA)and platelet-monocyte aggregate(PMA)were analyzed by two-color flow cytometry,soluble P-selectin(sP-sel)was detected by ELISA,serum C-reaction protein(CRP)was detected by nephelometry and platelet aggregation rate(PAR)was measured by blood agglutination.Results There were no differences in the percentages of PLA,PNA and PLyA between patients(4.12±1.17%,4.09±1.27%,4.28±1.09%)and controls(4.10±0.99%,3.98±1.12%,4.01±1.98%).However,in the patients before treatment,the percentage of PMA(11.54±1.88%)was significantly increased compared with that after treatment(8.40±2.74%,P0.01)which was significantly higher than that of controls(6.69±1.74%,P0.01).The level of PMA was positively correlated with that of plasma PAR,sP-sel or serum CRP in cerebral infarction patients before treatment(r=0.554,0.447 and 0.514,P0.05).Conclusion The levels of PMA in patients with cerebral infarction may be regarded as a good marker of platelet activation and reflect the activity of inflammatory responses in the patients.PMA may play an important role in occurrence and development of cerebral infarction.