Affiliations: Clinical Research Unit St. Bartholomeus, Jan Palfijnziekenhuis, 2060 Merksem, Belgium
Note: [] Accepted by: Editor J.A. Dormandy
Abstract: Blood cell (BC) filtration in platelet rich plasma (PRP) or platelet poor plasma (PPP) was equally decreased in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Cross-exchange experiments showed plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction to be responsible for the impairment of Be filtration. In a double-blind placebo-controlled study 2 groups of 30 patients with acute myocardial infarction received an acute oral dose of 60 mg of ketanserin, a 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptor antagonist, at 5-HT2 receptors, or placebo. Ketanserin treatment significantly improved BC filtration in PRP, whereas placebo had no effect. In a subsequent study ketanserin also significantly improved BC filtration in PPP in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Filtration of plasma improved after ketanserin treatment in PRP, but not in PPP. Cross-exchange experiments showed the ketanserin-induced improvement of Be filtration in PRP and PPP to be also plasmadependent. The possible role of serotonin on red blood cell (RBC) deformability and the interaction with platelet activation is discussed.
