Platelet hyperaggregability in a patient with pheochromocytoma
Oka, T.; Wada, Y.; Inoue, T.; Wakita, H.; Asai, T.; Mizuguchi, T.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 37(8): 993-996
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 3184450 Document Number: 312388
A 37-year-old woman with Sipple syndrome was scheduled for bilateral adrenalectomy. To estimate the influence of the chronic elevation of plasma catecholamines on platelet .alpha.2 adrenergic receptors, we measured the platelet aggregability induced by ADP, epinephrine, and collagen in vitro. We found that the platelets from the patient were more agreeable than normal ones, and this hyperagreggability was not reversed after the treatment with phenoxybenzamine and ticlopidine. Well known complications in patients with pheochromocytoma, such as acute left ventricular failure or cerebral vascular accidents, might be the results of this platelet hyperaggregability. Thus it may be necessary to direct new attention to the increased platelet aggregability in this pathological condition.