( tors platelet reactivity levels before...)Low-dose Aspirin Benefits Both Sexes,Health

tors, platelet reactivity levels before therapy starts and gender, as having played a significant role in predicting the effects of aspirin therapy on platelet clumping. Other factors, such as age, race or known risk factors for heart disease, including smoking, obesity and high blood pressure, were not found to be good predictors of aspirin's beneficial effects.

More than 500 men and 700 women participated in the study, called the Genetic Study of Aspirin Responsiveness (GeneSTAR). Conducted solely at Hopkins from June 2004 to November 2005, the study enrolled participants from across the country who ranged in age from 21 to 80; 31 percent were black and the rest were white. None had previous histories of heart problems, such as a heart attack, but all were considered to be at slightly increased risk of heart disease because of a family history. Fifty percent of women participants were postmenopausal.

Blood testing was conducted both before and after treatment. In total, more than 200 different tests of platelet reactivity were performed and analyzed in the study. Because whole blood contains other cells that affect platelet aggregation, testing was repeated using a purified version of test samples made up of strictly platelet-rich plasma.

At the start of the experiment, laboratory tests of blood platelets in women were found four times more likely than in men to aggregate when exposed to arachidonic acid, a clot-inducing chemical in the pathway that is most suppressed by aspirin.

While taking aspirin, participants maintained a strict and consistent dietary and exercise regimen, with no smoking or consumption of foods that by themselves affect platelet activity, such as caffeine, chocolate, wine or grapefruit juice. Physical examinations and pill counts were conducted to ensure that all participants adhered to the study protocol. Because aspirin reaches its maximal effect in the body at five days, the researchers say
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