Evaluation of genomic alterations affecting platelet volume count and aggregation in association with development of ischemic stroke and its subtypes

Abstract

Stroke is the second leading cause of mortality and morbidity after myocardial infarction newlineworldwide. Several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are associated with the newlinedevelopment of the disease. 87% risk is credited to the modifiable risk factors like newlinehypertension, obesity, hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, newlinefamily history and age, whereas 47% of the stroke risk is attributed to some behavioral newlinerisk factors including tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet. There are two newlinemain types of stroke Ischemic and Hemorrhagic. The Ischemic stroke (IS) accounts for newlineabout 87 percent of all the strokes. This occurs by an obstruction in blood supply to the newlinebrain which is caused by thrombosis or an embolus that leads to the neuronal cell death. newlinePlatelets play a significant role in pathophysiology of ischemic stroke since they are newlineinvolved in the formation of intravascular thrombus after erosion or rupture of the newlineatherosclerotic plaques. Platelets respond to a blood vessel injury by altering shape, newlineshedding granule contents and aggregating. While advantageous for hemostasis, these newlineresponses can become detrimental when they lead to ischemia or infarction. Platelet newline(PLT) count and Mean platelet volume (MPV) are the two significant parameters that newlineaffect functions of platelets. In the current study demographic profile of 200 Ischemic newlinestroke patients and equal number of sex and age-matched controls employed from the newlinesame demographic region were evaluated. The MPV and PLT count was evaluated in newlineall the patients and controls using flow cytometry and cell counter. SonoClot analysis, newlinewhich measures Activated Clot Timing (ACT), Clot Rate (CR) and Platelet Function (PF) newlinewas carried out in 30% of patients. Degree of disability in patients was determined using newlineModified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the time of first ever stroke. The variation in 96 genes newlineaffecting MPV, PLT count and PLT reactivity was evaluated using Global screening array newline(15% samples) and significant variants i.