Abstract
Low platelet fibrinogen levels have recently been regarded as one of the important laboratory findings in diseases associated with a hemorrhagic tendency such as thrombasthenia. Because, however, the determination of platelet fibrinogen levels requires a very complex procedure, the determination of the levels has been made in only few cases in Japan. A simplified method for the determination of platelet fibrinogen levels, using the FDP kit, has been successfully developed in our laboratory; and its procedure, factors influential over the results of the determination by this method, and results of its clinical application to a few diseases are presented hereunder.
Normal platelet fibrinogen levels as determined by this method were in the range of 80-320 μg/ml (platelet count: 100×104 cells per cubic mm), while platelet fibrinogen levels in thrombasthenia were as low as 10-20 μg/ml, and those in chronic granulocytic leukemia and primary thrombocythemia were within normal range, ie, 80-160 μg/ml. A decrease in platelet count to one half was paralleled by a drop in platelet fibrinogen level to one half. Washing the platelets seven times eliminated the influence of plasma fibrinogen. This method, the authors believe, is a useful, simplified method for the determination of platelet fibrinogen levels.
