Oxidative stress mediated platelet activation in patients with congenital analbuminemia: Effect of albumin infusion

Abstract

Background and aims: Congenital analbuminemia is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by strongly decreased concentration, or complete absence, of serum albumin (SA). Several lines of evidence indicate that SA has anti-thrombotic effect. In vivo platelet function and the role of oxidative stress (OS) in platelet aggregation promotion have never been studied in analbuminaemic patients.

Patients and methods: We report two cases of congenital analbuminemia in a 38-year-old male and in a 67-year-old woman. We analyzed platelet activation (PA) and OS at baseline and 2 h after 40 g human albumin infusion. PA was evaluated as platelet aggregation, sCD40L and surface αIIbβ3 integrin and P-selectin expression. OS was evaluated measuring serum sNOX2dp, and 8-iso-PGF2α.

Findings: Analbuminemic patients displayed higher platelet aggregation, markers of PA and of OS. Albumin infusion reduced platelet activation by reducing oxidative stress.

Keywords: albumin; congenital analbuminemia; oxidative stress; platelet function; platelets.