In vivo platelet survival in rheumatoid arthritis.

We studied the in vivo consumption of chromate-labeled platelets in 14 patients with active rheumatoid disease and demonstrated shortened platelet survival in 8. We were unable to find significant relationships between diminished platelet survival and clinical features (including vasculitis), the presence of circulating immune complexes (as measured by both a monoclonal rheumatoid factor and the Raji cell assays), the presence of intravascular coagulopathy with fibrinolysis (as measured by the protamine gel test), other laboratory variables commonly obtained in rheumatoid patients, or various drug regimens.