Platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI) for early identification of acute coronary syndrome in patients with chest pain

Background: Platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is elevated in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stroke and associated with acute coronary events. GPVI may be helpful to distinguish an imminent ACS from non-coronary (NC) causes in patients with chest pain who were transferred to chest pain unit, before the myocardial necrosis is evident with classical biomarkers. Methods: Based on the findings of our previous studies, we consecutively examined 1004 patients with chest pain in a prospective study design. ACS was found in 416 (41.4%), stable angina pectoris (SAP) in 233 (23.2%), and NC causes of chest pain (hypertension, musculoskeletal disease, pulmonary embolism, myocarditis, cardiophobia) in 355 patients (35.4%). Platelet surface expression of GPVI was measured by flow cytometry. Results: Patients with ACS showed significantly enhanced GPVI expression levels compared to patients with SAP or NC causes of chest pain (ACSvs. SAP(mean fluorescence intensity (MFI)+/- SD): 18.9 +/- 7.4vs. 17.9 +/- 9.5; P=0.028; ACSvs. NC: 15.4 +/- 6.9; P=0.002). Elevated GPVI expression was associated with ACS independent of markers of myocardial necrosis like troponin and creatine kinase-MB. Patients with an elevated GPVI expression (MFI >= 18.6) had a poorer clinical outcome than patients with baseline GPVI expression in regard to composite cumulative survival that included myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death at three months (Log rank; P=0.025). Discussion: Platelet GPVI surface expression is enhanced in patients at risk for an ACS and is an early marker for imminent acute coronary events in patients with chest pain. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.