Platelet mitochondrial dysfunction in critically ill patients: comparison between sepsis and cardiogenic shock

Several platelet mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes are similarly inhibited during human sepsis and cardiogenic shock. In patients with sepsis, mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with general platelet hypo-responsiveness to exogenous agonists.

This was a prospective, observational, case-control study. Platelets were isolated from venous blood of 16 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock (free from antiplatelet drugs) and 16 others with cardiogenic shock, within 48 hours from admission to Intensive Care. Platelet mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes activity was measured with spectrophotometry and expressed relative to citrate synthase activity, a marker of mitochondrial density. Platelet aggregation and secretion in response to adenosine di-phosphate (ADP), collagen, U46619 and thrombin receptor activating peptide were measured with lumiaggregometry only in patients with sepsis. In total, 16 healthy volunteers acted as controls for both spectrophotometry and lumiaggregometry.

Platelets of patients with sepsis or cardiogenic shock similarly had lower mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (NADH) (P < 0.001), complex I (P = 0.006), complex I and III (P < 0.001) and complex IV (P < 0.001) activity than those of controls. Platelets of patients with sepsis were generally hypo-responsive to exogenous agonists, both in terms of maximal aggregation (P < 0.001) and secretion (P < 0.05). Lower mitochondrial NADH (R (2) 0.36; P < 0.001), complex I (R (2) 0.38; P < 0.001), complex I and III (R (2) 0.27; P = 0.002) and complex IV (R (2) 0.43; P < 0.001) activity was associated with lower first wave of aggregation with ADP. Conclusions: Several platelet mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes are similarly inhibited during human sepsis and cardiogenic shock. In patients with sepsis, mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with general platelet hypo-responsiveness to exogenous agonists.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00541827 . Registered 8 October 2007.