Platelet survival time in patients with hypoxemia and pulmonary hypertension.

Platelet survival time (autologous labeling with 51chromium) was measured in 63 patients in order to evaluate the role of platelets in the thromboembolic complications of patients with hypoxemia and pulmonary hypertension. Thirty-eight of these patients had chronic obstructive airways disease; 13, primary pulmonary hypertension; seven, recurrent pulmonary embolism; four, the Eisenmenger syndrome; and one, multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistula. Forty-three patients were hypeakly associated with arterial oxygen tension ( r = 0.50), but not with the arterial carbon dioxide tension or the level of pulmonary artery pressure. Sulfinpyrazone lengthened platelet survival in 12 of 24 (50%) treated patients but this drug did not alter either arterial oxygen tension arterial carbon dioxide tension, or pulmonary artery pressure. Our results suggest that hypoxemia is associated with shortened platelet survival time and that platelets may, therefore, be involved in the thromboembolic complications that develop in patients with hypoxemia.