12th Congress of the European Hematology ... - Haematologica

1155
PLATELET AGGREGATION IN CHILDREN WITH HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION
O. Gursel, 1 A.A. Atay, 2 A.E. Kurekci, 2 F. Avcu, 3 O. Nevruz, 3 Z. Senses, 4
E. Ozturk, 5 A. Hasimi, 6 O. Ozcan 2
1 Gulhane Military Medical Academy, ANKARA; 2 Department of Pediatrics,
ANKARA; 3 Department of Hematology, ANKARA; 4 Department of Microbiology,
ANKARA; 5 Department of Nuclear Medicine, ANKARA; 6 Department of
Biochemistry, ANKARA, Turkey
Background. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common
gastrointestinal bacterial disease worldwide. Although it generally causes
an asymptomatic infection, H. pylori facilitates the development of various
gastrointestinal pathologies and also the development of different disorders
such as iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia, autoimmune
thrombocytopenia, coronary artery disease, stroke and growth retardation.
Aims. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of H. pylori
infection on platelet aggregation. Methods. Platelet aggregation in plateletrich
plasma induced by ADP (adenosine diphosphate), collagen, ristocetin
and epinephrine was studied in 32 patients aged between 6 to 15 years
before and one month after H. pylori treatment. Tests for complete blood
count, ferritin, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time,
fibrinogen, C-Reactive Protein and von Willebrand Factor levels and
platelet aggregation studies were performed in patient and control groups.
Platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma was studied twice in the
patients prior to and one month after the treatment and once in the control
group. Results. The pre-treatment maximum aggregation values
induced by 10 microM ADP were significantly lower than values of posttreatment
and control groups (62.76±13.89 vs 78.16±15.21 and
62.76±13.89 vs 80.93±10.84, respectively) (p