Plasma ß-Thromboglobulin and Platelet Factor 4 in Patients with Coronary and Rheumatic Heart Diseases

Plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin (BTG), platelet factor 4 (PF4) and counts were determined in 21 coronary heart patients, 22 rheumatic heart patients, 21 prosthetic valve patients and 15 healthy sujects. The levels of BTG and PF4 in coronary patients were higher than in the other groups (p<0.05), while those of all patients were higher than the levels in normal healthy controls (p<0.05). Lower BTG and PF4 levels in prosthetic valve patients than in rheumatic heart patients (without prosthesis) could be related to the use of anti-platelet durgs. Platelet counts were not significantly different between any group (p>0.05). This study suggested that the determination of plasma BTG and PF4 may be useful in assessing the therapeutic efficacy of anti-plateletaggregation treatment.