Material strengths of shear-induced platelet aggregation clots and coagulation clots

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 11460
• Main Authors: Kim, Dongjune A., Ku, David N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20.05.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/57/2266; 639/166/985; 639/301/54; 692/4019/592; 692/699/75; 692/699/75/230; Blood Coagulation; Blood Platelets - metabolism; Blood pressure; Coagulation; Elastic Modulus; Hemodynamics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Mechanical properties; multidisciplinary; Platelet Aggregation; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Shear Strength; Stress, Mechanical; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Thrombosis - pathology; Vascular diseases
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62165-1

Arterial occlusion by thrombosis is the immediate cause of some strokes, heart attacks, and peripheral artery disease. Most prior studies assume that coagulation creates the thrombus. However, a contradiction arises as whole blood (WB) clots from coagulation are too weak to stop arterial blood pressures (> 150 mmHg). We measure the material mechanical properties of elasticity and ultimate strength for Shear-Induced Platelet Aggregation (SIPA) type clots, that form under stenotic arterial hemodynamics in comparison with coagulation clots. The ultimate strength of SIPA clots averaged 4.6 ± 1.3 kPa, while WB coagulation clots had a strength of 0.63 ± 0.3 kPa (p < 0.05). The elastic modulus of SIPA clots was 3.8 ± 1.5 kPa at 1 Hz and 0.5 mm displacement, or 2.8 times higher than WB coagulation clots (1.3 ± 1.2 kPa, p < 0.0001). This study shows that the SIPA thrombi, formed quickly under high shear hemodynamics, is seven-fold stronger and three-fold stiffer compared to WB coagulation clots. A force balance calculation shows a SIPA clot has the strength to resist arterial pressure with a short length of less than 2 mm, consistent with coronary pathology.