A Study of the Role Platelet and Fibrinolytic Activity in Pathophysiological Changes in Pre-Eclampsia

Abstract

Eight severe pre-eclampsia, 21 mild pre-eclampsia and 12 normal pregnancies were selected from the antenatal care unit of Siriraj Hospital to study their platelet aggregation and fibrinolytic activity both during pregnancy (>20 weeks gestation) and after delivery. It was found that platelets of normal pregnant subjects and both groups of pre-eclamptic patients were hypersensitive to collagen, adrenaline and ADP. After delivery, only normal pregnancy revealed singificant decrease in percent maximal aggregation (p<0.05) while pre-eclampsia did not show any significant difference. This may be due to the enhancement of gestational effect on platelet activity which returned to normal after delivery. However, hyperactivity of pre-eclamptic patients may not only be due to the gestational effect alone, but also to the original hyperactive activity of platelet. before pregnancy. Fibrinolytic activity was also found to be decreased significantly in pre-eclampsia because euglobulin lysis time was prolonged over the normal ranges but after delivery it returned to normal. (Thai J Obstet Gynaecol 1993;5: 57-62.)