J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1999 Apr;42(4):510-518.

Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin Therapy on Platelet Aggregation in Kawasaki Disease

• Yeo JY
• Lee HE
• Hong YM
• Hong KS
• Chung WS

Abstract

PURPOSE: Aspirin(acetylsalicylic acid) has been used to treat unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction in adults and Kawasaki disease in children. The antithrombotic effect of aspirin was attributed to its ability to inhibit platelet aggregation by inhibiting platelet cyclooxygenase, which leads to decreased thromboxane synthesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on the platelet aggregation by low dose aspirin in Kawasaki patients and to learn the side effects of low-dose aspirin.
METHODS
Fifty patients with Kawasaki disease who were treated with low-dose aspirin, and 22 normal children were studied from Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1997. The platelet count, bleeding time, clotting time, platelet aggregation test(induced by ADP, epinephrine, collagen and ristocetin) and blood aspirin level by colorimetric method were checked.
RESULTS
The platelet count, bleeding time, and clotting time in the patient group were not significantly different from the control group. The mean maximum platelet aggregation was 54.4+/-12.8% induced by ADP, 15.9+/-11.7% by epinephrine, 55.5+/-23.8% by collagen, 52.6+/-32.2% by ristocetin in the patient group. It was significantly lower than the control group(P<0.05). The mean blood aspirin level in the patient group was 5.4+/-3.7mg/dl. Side effects of low-dose aspirin were bruise, epistaxis and hematuria.
CONCLUSION
Low-dose aspirin therapy in patients with Kawasaki disease inhibited platelet aggregation, but attention would be needed because of the tendency to bleed in these patients. Further investigations should be focused on the subject such as the onset of the maximal antiplatelet effect and time needed for the recovery of platelet function.

Keyword

Low dose aspirin; Platelet aggregation; Kawasaki disease

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Diphosphate
Adult
Angina, Unstable
Aspirin*
Bleeding Time
Blood Platelets*
Child
Collagen
Contusions
Epinephrine
Epistaxis
Hematuria
Humans
Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*
Myocardial Infarction
Platelet Aggregation*
Platelet Count
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
Ristocetin
Adenosine Diphosphate
Aspirin
Collagen
Epinephrine
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
Ristocetin