The morphological properties of the blood thrombocytes in bronchial asthma patients before and after thrombocytapheresis. / Morfologicheskie svoistva trombotsitov krovi u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi do i posle trombotsitafereza.

Morphological characteristics of platelets were assessed electron microscopically in 15 patients with atopic and aspirin bronchial asthma (BA) before and after thrombocytapheresis (TA). All the patients had a definite shift of platelet subpopulations to greater percentage of spherical forms as well as defects in cell ultrastructure. This makes evident platelet activation in patients with BA aggravation. TA entails a positive trend to normalization of platelet subpopulations and cytoskeleton. The ability to normalize platelet morphofunctional status determines its clinical effectiveness in bronchial asthma.

[The late results of thrombocytapheresis in bronchial asthma patients]. / Otdalennye rezul'taty trombotsitafereza u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

A long-term follow-up (within 18 months) has been conducted of bronchial asthma (BA) patients (a total of 29 cases with atopic, aspirin and mixed BA forms) subjected to thrombocytapheresis. The examination performed in 1-2 month intervals included a berotec test, assessment of platelet aggregation, platelet intracellular calcium metabolism, external respiration function (ERF). The treatment resulted in remission of 4-18 month duration. It was characterized by ERF normalization, high sensitivity to sympathomimetics, platelet status improvement. The best results were achieved in the groups of atopic and aspirin asthma patients. The findings allow recommendation of thrombocytapheresis as a method of choice in combined therapy of BA.