Effect of desmopressin (DDAVP) on platelet membrane glycoprotein expression in patients with von Willebrand's disease

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Gordz, S. | Mrowietz, C. | Pindur, G. | Park, J.W. | Jung, F.^;

Affiliations: Department of Clinical Haemostaseology and Transfusion Medicine, University of the Saarland, Hamburg, Germany | Institute for Heart and Circulation Research, Hoyerswerda, Germany | Hoyerswerda Hospital, Cardiology Division, Hoyerswerda, Germany

Abstract: When patients with von Willebrand's disease were given a single injection of desmopressin (0.4 μg/kg body weight), there was a considerable increase in platelet reactivity (from 0.95±0.19 to 1.44±0.42; p=0.0033). On flow cytometry, increased glycoprotein Ib/IX expression in the platelets was found after the desmopressin injection; when phycoerythrin‐marked anti‐CD62 antibodies were used, the mean fluorescence rose from 428.9±56.6 to 440.7±51.4 (p=0.0056), and from 425.9±55.0 to 437.4±53.9 (p=0.0018) when phycoerythrin‐marked anti‐thrombospondin antibodies were used. Apart from the rise in the von Willebrand factor, this could explain the increased platelet reactivity. However, the surface expression of CD62, CD63 and thrombospondin on platelets did not change following the desmopressin injection.

Keywords: von Willebrand disease, platelet–membrane glycoprotein expression, desmopressin

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 83-87, 2005