Platelet aggregability in apparently healthy humans of different ages

Platelet aggregability was studied in 154 apparently healthy subjects aged 18–60 years. Both spontaneous platelet aggregation and aggregation induced by inducers with different mechanisms of action were studied. In 25-to 27-year-old subjects, the parameters of both the spontaneous aggregation, which characterized the platelet activation, and ADP-induced platelet aggregation, which characterized the total platelet aggregability, were lower than in older subjects (45–50 and 60–70 years of age). The parameters of the platelet activity and aggregation indicated the absence of age-related changes in the structure and functions of platelets in response to inducers, including epinephrine, collagen, and ristocetin.