Abnormal Prothrombin Consumption (Pc) In Bernard Soulier-Syndrome (BSS)
The abnormal PC in BSS is a defect that has not been extensively studied to date. For this reason 4 patients with BSS who had normal platelet aggregation tests (except with bovine fibrinogen and with Ristocetin), but abnormal bleeding times and PC on different occasions, during which they showed variable thrombocytopenia, were studied. The PC was normal in only one case and in only one occasion, which was coincidental with a circulating platelet count that also approximated normal.The abnormal PC in the 4 cases was corrected when platelet substitute, or washed platelets from normal subjects or from patients with BSS were added. These same platelets also corrected the abnormal PC in cases of ITP or aplastic anemia, and shortened the recalcification time of platelet-poor plasmas from normal subjects and patients with specific plasma deficiencies (Factors V, VIII and XI).The above suggests that the abnormal PC in some cases of BSS may be due to the thrombocytopenia rather than to a defect in the procoagulant activity of the platelets in this syndrome.