Nephrotic syndrome (n.s.) is associated with numerous blood coagulation abnormalities and a marked predisposition to thromboembolism. Increased aggregation and activation of platelets in patients with glomerulonephritis (g.l.n. p.t.s.) may partly explain this status. The aim of this study was to measure the platelets adenine nucleotides concentration. The study was performed in 57 patients with a renal biopsy confirmed primary glomerulonephritis and 24 sex and age matched healthy volunteers which served as a control group. The patients were divided into two subgroups: subgroup I/A--36 patients with the symptoms of the nephrotic syndrome and subgroup I/B--21 patients with chronic glomerulonephritis and proteinuria but without the symptoms of nephrotic syndrome. Concentration of adenine nucleotides in platelets was measured using HPLC. In the subgroup I/A significantly lower levels of ATP, ADP and AMP concentrations in platelets were observed comparing to control subjects. Simultaneously significant correlation between both ATP and ADP concentration and plasma levels of albumin, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and fibrinogen were found in g.l.n. p.t.s.
Summary and conclusions: 1. Significantly lower concentrations of adenine nucleotides in platelets of gln pts with the nephrotic syndrome may result from their activation. 2. Protein and lipid metabolism as well as fibrinogen seem to influence ATP and ADP concentrations in platelets of g.l.n. p.t.s.