Determination of platelet activation and antibody binding capacities of platelet surface receptors in patients with menstrual cycle and malnutrition based iron deficiency anemia

IDA occurs when serum iron concentration decreases under a certain threshold and hemoglobin production is disrupted. Although there are several reasons for IDA to occur such as blood loss by disorders that cause chronic gastrointestinal bleedings, IDA has a high prevalence in women in developing countries due to heavy menstrual cycle and deficiency in iron uptake. In recent years, there are a few studies trying to determine the effects of IDA on platelets but there are conflicting reports whether IDA can affect the activation of resting platelets or not. In our study, platelet activations and ABCs of platelet surface receptors were examined with flow cytometry to determine the effects of IDA on platelet functions. 35 women patients with newly diagnosed IDA (16-50 years old) and 18 healthy women without IDA in same age group were included into study. We have found out that despite the increase in activated platelet population, ABC of CD41/CD61 fibrinogen binding complex was decreased in IDA patients. Also ABC of platelet activation markers was not changed in IDA patients in spite of platelet activation. This shows us that there may be conformational changes in fibrinogen binding to CD41/CD61 complex and surface activation molecules in IDA patients.