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Review
. 2015 Nov 1;1(4):FSO30.
doi: 10.4155/fso.15.28. eCollection 2015 Nov.

The impact of blood shear rate on arterial thrombus formation

Kjell S Sakariassen  1 , Lars Orning  2 , Vincent T Turitto  3
Affiliations
Review

The impact of blood shear rate on arterial thrombus formation

Kjell S Sakariassen et al. Future Sci OA. .

Abstract

The shear rate and corresponding shear stress have impacts on arterial thrombus formation. In particular, the effects of increasing concentration of platelets at the vessel wall and activation of platelets at this site increase the growth and stability of the thrombi which may result in a fatal narrowing of the arterial lumen. The efficacy of many antithrombotic agents is shear dependent as well. It is apparent that there is a need for a point-of-care device to rapidly monitor the risk for arterial thrombosis and to optimize antithrombotic therapy in vitro. The present review focuses on the essential role of shear rate on arterial thrombus formation in native human blood drawn directly from an antecubital vein.

Keywords: arterial stenosis; platelet activation; platelet adhesion; platelet aggregation; shear rate; shear stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure One of the authors, KS Sakariassen of KellSa s.a.s., consults/advices academic and biopharma R&D within the areas of hemostasis, thrombosis and atherosclerosis. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

<b>Figure 1.</b>
Figure 1.. Artery parabolic blood flow velocity profile.
Velocity is maximal in the central part of the vessel and gradually diminishes as blood approaches the vessel wall.
<b>Figure 2.</b>
Figure 2.. Vessel wall shear rates and corresponding shear stresses under normal physiological and pathological (stenosis) conditions.
<b>Figure 3.</b>
Figure 3.. Blood flow properties and thrombus formation at an atherosclerotic/stenotic lesion.
<b>Figure 4.</b>
Figure 4.. Distribution of platelets and erythrocytes in arterial flowing laminar blood.
The rotating and deforming erythrocytes increase the concentration of platelets at the vessel wall.
<b>Figure 5.</b>
Figure 5.. Human ex vivo parallel-plate blood perfusion device.
Blood is drawn from an antecubital vein by the pump. Ex vivo studies of therapeutic agents not requiring in vivo metabolism can be injected upstream to the perfusion chamber with the reactive surface. Blood sampling for biomarker analysis can be collected downstream to the perfusion chamber. Reproduced with permission from [19] © Future Medicine (2007).
<b>Figure 6.</b>
Figure 6.. Typical blood flow velocity profile in the parallel-plate blood perfusion chamber.
The shear rate and shear stress profiles would basically be related to the slope of the velocity profile – zero at center and maximal at the wall where the velocity is zero. Formulas for calculation of wall shear rate (Y) and shear stress (u) are indicated above the figure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Baumgartner HR, Sakariassen KS. Factors controlling thrombus formation on arterial lesions. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1985;454:162–177. - PubMed
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    1. Sakariassen KS, Turitto VT, Baumgartner Recollections of the development of flow devices for studying mechanisms of hemostasis and thrombosis in flowing whole blood. J. Thromb. Haemost. 2004;2:1681–1690. - PubMed

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