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Thromb Haemost 1994; 71(05): 633-640
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1642495
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Reversible Inhibition of Human Platelet Activation by Hypothermia In Vivo and In Vitro

Authors

  • Alan D Michelson

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

  • Hollace MacGregor

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

  • Marc R Barnard

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

  • Anita S Kestin

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

  • Michael J Rohrer

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA

  • C Robert Valeri

    The Department of Pediatrics and Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA, USA
    Naval Blood Research Laboratory, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    Department of Medicine, The Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Received 27 May 1993

Accepted after revision 31 January 1994

Publication Date:
06 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

A hypothermia-induced hemorrhagic diathesis is associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, major surgery, and multiple trauma, but its pathophysiological basis is not well understood. We examined the hypothesis that hypothermia reversibly inhibits human platelet activation in vitro and in vivo. Platelet activation was studied in normal volunteers by whole blood flow cytometric analysis of modulation of platelet surface GMP-140 and the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex in: a) shed blood emerging from a standardized in vivo bleeding time wound; b) peripheral blood activated in vitro with either thrombin (in the presence of gly-pro-arg-pro, an inhibitor of fibrin polymerization) or the stable thromboxane (TX) A2 analogue U46619. Platelets in peripheral whole blood were activated at temperatures between 22° C and 37° C. the forearm skin temperature was maintained at temperatures between 22° C and 37° C prior to and during the bleeding time incision. Platelet aggregation was studied in shed blood by flow cytometry and in peripheral blood by aggregometry. Generation of TXB 2 (the stable metabolite of TXA 2) was determined by radioimmunoassay. In vitro, hypothermia inhibited both thrombin- and U46619-induced upregulation of GMP-140, downregulation of the GPIb-IX complex, platelet aggregation, and TXB2 generation. These inhibitory effects of hypothermia were all completely reversed by rewarming the blood to 37° C. In vivo, platelet activation was inhibited by hypothermia as shown by 5 independent assays of shed blood: upregulation of GMP-140, downregulation of the GPIb-IX complex, platelet aggregate formation, TXB 2 ggeneration, and the bleeding time. In summary, by a combination of immunologic, biochemical, and functional assays, we demonstrate that hypothermia inhibits human platelet activation in whole blood in vitro and in vivo. Rewarming hypothermic blood completely reverses the activation defect. These results suggest that maintaining normothermia or rewarming a hypothermic bleeding patient may reduce the need for platelet transfusions.