1. Platelet Dysfunction in Outpatients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices 
Barbara Steinlechner, MD, Martin Dworschak, MD, MBA, Beatrice Birkenberg, MD, Monika Duris, MD, Petra Zeidler, MD, Henrik Fischer, MD, Ljubisa Milosevic, RN, Georg Wieselthaler, MD, Ernst Wolner, MD, Peter Quehenberger, MD, Bernd Jilma, MD 
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 
Volume 87, Issue 1, Pages (January 2009)
DOI: /j.athoracsur
Copyright © 2009 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

2. Fig 1
Altered platelet function and von Willebrand activity in patients with left ventricular assist devices devices. Reduced platelet function was demonstrated under high shear (6,000 s-1) by a 2.5-fold increase in the collagen adenosine diphosphate closure time (CADP-CT; A; platelet function analyzer-100) and a threefold reduced area under the ristocetin-induced aggregation curves (AUC B; Multiplate RISTO) in almost all patients. In contrast von Willebrand factor ristocetin (vWF:RiCO; C) was subnormal in only 5 of 12 patients and von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag; D) increased by 80%. Dashed lines indicate limits for normal ranges. p < for all variables by Mann-Whitney U test.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2009 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

3. Fig 2
Westernblot analysis of von Willebrand factor multimers in plasma of a typical left ventricular assist device patient (P) and a volunteer (V). The two bars delineate the area where the bands of the heavy von Willebrand factor multimers are located. Owing to their high molecular weight they attach very early to the agarose gel during electrophoresis. These bands are almost absent in patients whereas they are clearly visible in volunteers. When heavy multimers disrupt as a result of high shear stress in patients, intermediate weight multimers increase in number, which may account for the brighter signals of the intermediate bands that are seen in this patient below the lower bar.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2009 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions