Platelet dysfunction during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery : with special reference to platelet membrane glycoproteins

Changes in platelet membrane glycoproteins (GPIb, GPIIb/IIIa, and GMP-140) were evaluated using flow cytometry after binding with monoclonal antibodies in 22 adult patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery. The amount of GPIb on platelets decreased significantly during CPB, reaching a minimum level of 64 +/- 26% of the pre CPB value at 120 min of CPB. There was no significant change in the amount of GPIIb/IIIa on platelets. In accordance with these changes, ristocetin induced agglutination decreased to 56.7 +/- 16.2% of the pre CPB value during CPB. However, there were no significant changes in ADP and collagen induced aggregation throughout the procedure. The number of the activated platelets expressing GMP-140 on their surfaces increased significantly during CPB. There was an upper limit to the amount of GMP-140 expression on each platelet in the circulating blood, suggesting that excessively activated platelets are removed from the circulation. The authors conclude that CPB reduces the amount of GPIb on platelets, which results in platelet dysfunction. In addition, removal of excessively activated platelets from the circulation may lead to thrombocytopenia after CPB.