A simple nonradioisotope technic for the determination of platelet life-span.

Acetylsalicylic acid was shown both in vivo and in vitro to prevent the platelet lipid peroxidation normally induced by the aggregating agents thrombin and epinephrine, and the sulfhydryl inhibitor N-ethylmaleimide. After aspirin ingestion, there was a significant reduction (p smaller than 0.005) in platelet lipid peroxidation, with a gradual return to base-line values over a 10-day period. With these values, a normal platelet survival curve was constructed with a mean half-life of 4.4 days (range of 2.9 to 5.9 days). These values agree with the standard 51-Cr survivals in three patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Half-lives of 1.0, 2.5, and 4.1 days by lipid peroxide technic compared with 1.9, 2.5, and 3.9 days by the concurrent use of 51-Cr. Thus, the technic may be used to measure platelet survival.