The effect of ethanol on hemostatic properties of human blood platelets

Abstract

To determine whether platelets from patients with alcohol-related thrombocytopenia function normally, bleeding time, platelet aggregation, platelet factor 3 (PF3) availability and nucleotide release were measured in hospitalized subjects ingesting 1 quart each of 86 proof whiskey daily for 4 to 6 weeks. Comparable studies were made before and during the intravenous infusion of ethanol, and with normal platelets exposed to ethanol in vitro. Platelet function was normal in each of five patients before and after alcohol ingestion. Prolonged bleeding times, impaired primary and secondary aggregation, reduced PF3 availability and subnormal nucleotide release occurred during ethanol ingestion. The severity of the abnormalities in platelet function were greater in patients with alcohol-related thrombocytopenia. Intravenous infusion of ethanol (blood ethanol 190 to 210 mg/100 ml) and addition of ethanol to normal platelets in vitro (ethanol concentrations 240 and 400 mg/100 ml) produced impairment of secondary but not of primary aggregation. PF3 availability was unaltered during ethanol infusion but was significantly reduced by ethanol in vitro (p <0.01). The rate of nucleotide release was retarded by ethanol in vitro. The results indicate that ethanol, or a metabolite of ethanol, impairs platelet function and that the impaired function is due to both extracorpuscular factor(s) and platelet injury.