The impact of intravenous aspirin administration on platelet aspirin resistance after on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery

Aspirin resistance continues to be a major challenge in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We investigated the impact of intravenous aspirin on platelet function in this clinical setting. Forty-two patients received 100 mg of oral aspirin once daily, beginning on day 1 after the operation. Between day 6 and 8 post operation one oral dose was replaced by an intravenous dose of 300 mg. Platelet function analyzer (PFA-100™) closure times (CT), turbidimetric platelet aggregation (TPA) and impedance platelet aggregation (IPA) induced by arachidonic acid (AA), collagen and ADP were measured prior to and 1 h and 24 h after intravenous aspirin. Results obtained prior to the intravenous aspirin were compared with respective values from 120 healthy individuals. Despite the postoperative oral aspirin that was given once daily, ADP-induced TPA (ADPTPA) and IPA values induced by AA, ADP or collagen were significantly greater in patients than in controls, while PFA-100™ CT were significantly shorter. Intravenous aspirin induced a significant reduction of platelet aggregability as measured by collagen/epinephrine (CEPI) CT, TPA and IPA induced by AA and collagen 1 h and 24 h after administration. Intravenous aspirin was not found to influence collagen/ADP (CADP) CT and IPA induced by ADP. Concomitantly, the number of patients with laboratory aspirin resistance as measured by CEPI-CT and TPA but not by IPA induced by AA or collagen dropped significantly. Agreement in the detection of aspirin responders and non-responders among platelet function tests was poor. Our findings indicate that the intravenous aspirin appears to be a promising approach for reducing laboratory aspirin resistance during the postoperative phase of CABG.