Measurement of platelet-activating factor in human blood by high performance thin layer chromatography and its clinical application.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) present in the blood of the patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease and asthma has been detected by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). The patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease accompanied by carbon dioxide retention (PaCO2 > 6.67 kPa) have a higher level of PAF in blood (0.75 +/- 0.27 microgram/ml) than those who have no carbon dioxide retention (PaCO2 < 6.67 kPa, PAF 0.41 +/- 0.25 microgram/ml) and those in the normal control group (0.45 +/- 0.20 microgram/ml), with P < 0.05 in all. The patients with asthma have a higher PAF in blood (0.83 +/- 0.05 microgram/ml) than those in the control group (P < 0.005). These findings suggest that PAF plays an important role in episodes of chronic pulmonary heart disease and asthma.