Increased platelet aggregation (PA) but no further hemorheological alterations in patients with recent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)

Hemorheological abnormalities in completed vascular stroke are frequently reported. The purpose of our study was to examine whether patients with recent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) show similar changes. In 15 patients with recent TIAs hematocrit, fibrinogen, red cell aggregation, red cell deformability and platelet aggregation were studied. In comparison to age-and sex-matched healthy controls a significant elevation of platelet aggregation (spontaneous, ADP-induced) was found; no differences were observed in the other parameters. Our findings suggest that normal hemorheological conditions (apart from increased platelet aggregation) - as found in our TIA-patients - may advance the recovery from a neurological deficit by more effective activation of hemodynamic compensating mechanisms.