Platelet Adhesiveness in Von Willebrand's Disease: A Study with a New Modification of the Glass Bead Filter Method

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Abstract
A new modification of the glass filter method is presented. With this method estimation of platelet adhesiveness in native blood was found to be superior to heparinized blood. In native blood the mean platelet adhesiveness in 69 normals was 75% (SD = 12.8) and in patients with von Willebrand's disease 7% (SD = 6.4). No overlapping of the values in the two groups was recorded. Compared with the original Salzman's technique the new modification gave considerably less spreading of the values in the group of normals whereas the spreading in the von Willebrand's group was fairly identical. After transfusion with either cryoprecipitate or normal platelet poor plasma the bleeding time became shorter in patients with von Willebrand's disease concomitantly with an increase in platelet adhesiveness one hour after the transfusion. The effect on bleeding time and platelet adhesiveness disappeared within 24 hours. By decreasing the amount of blood forced through the glass bead filter a lower mean adhesiveness is obtained. The method therefore probably also can be used for detection of hyperadhesiveness.