Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis : an international journal in haemostasis and thrombosis
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Blood Coagul. Fibrinolysis · Jan 2014
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPlatelet aggregation following trauma: a prospective study.
We aimed to elucidate platelet function in trauma patients, as it is pivotal for hemostasis yet remains scarcely investigated in this population. We conducted a prospective observational study of platelet aggregation capacity in 213 adult trauma patients on admission to an emergency department (ED). Inclusion criteria were trauma team activation and arterial cannula insertion on arrival. ⋯ An aggregation value of 145 IU by TRAP significantly identified death due to cerebral injury (sensitivity 71% and specificity 76%, P < 0.01) by receiver operating characteristic-curve analysis; the corresponding value of platelet counts for massive transfusion was 189 × 10/l (sensitivity 86%, specificity 75%, P < 0.01). We concluded there was no simple relationship between platelet aggregation and injury severity. Our results indicate that high platelet aggregation values are associated with fatality of cerebral injury.