Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Oct 2015
ReviewNew paradigms in sepsis: from prevention to protection of failing microcirculation.
Sepsis, also known as septicemia, is one of the 10 leading causes of death worldwide. The rising tide of sepsis due to bacterial, fungal and viral infections cannot be stemmed by current antimicrobial therapies and supportive measures. New paradigms for the mechanism and resolution of sepsis and consequences for sepsis survivors are emerging. ⋯ Lipid mediators (e.g. resolvin D1) hasten sepsis resolution. As sepsis cases rose from 387 330 in 1996 to 1.1 million in 2011, and are estimated to reach 2 million by 2020 in the US, mortality due to sepsis approaches that of heart attacks and exceeds deaths from stroke. More preventive vaccines and therapeutic measures are urgently needed.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Oct 2015
Observational StudyViscoelastic measurements of platelet function, not fibrinogen function, predicts sensitivity to tissue-type plasminogen activator in trauma patients.
Systemic hyperfibrinolysis is a lethal phenotype of trauma-induced coagulopathy. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Recent studies have support a central role of platelets in hemostasis and in fibrinolysis regulation, implying that platelet impairment is integral to the development of postinjury systemic hyperfibrinolysis. ⋯ Platelet impairment of the ADP pathway is associated with increased sensitivity to t-PA. ADP pathway inhibition in platelets may be an early step in the pathogenesis of systemic hyperfibrinolysis.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Oct 2015
Comparative StudyEvaluation of an heterogeneous group of patients with von Willebrand disease using an assay alternative to ristocetin induced platelet agglutination.
Diagnosis of von Willebrand disease (VWD) type 2 usually relies on the discrepancy between the von Willebrand factor (VWF) ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo) and VWF antigen (VWF:Ag). Type 2B patients can be discriminated from other qualitative VWD variants by using ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination (RIPA) test. The major limitation of RIPA is the requirement of fresh blood sample. ⋯ Whenever the RIPA test is not feasible, the VWF:GPIbM/VWF:RCo ratio might help to identify severe type 2B VWD patients.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Oct 2015
Distinguishing between anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies that can and cannot cause heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
Many patients exposed to heparin develop antibodies against platelet factor 4 (PF4) and heparin, yet only those antibodies that activate platelets cause heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Patients who produce anti-PF4/heparin antibodies without developing HIT either have antibodies that do not cause platelet activation or produce pathogenic antibodies at levels that are insufficient to cause HIT. Understanding the differences between anti-PF4/heparin antibodies with and without HIT will improve test methods and reduce overdiagnosis. ⋯ A subset of heparin-treated patients produce subthreshold levels of platelet-activating anti-PF4/heparin antibodies that do not cause HIT. An increase in the titer of these pathogenic antibodies, along with permissive clinical conditions, could lead to HIT.
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J. Thromb. Haemost. · Oct 2015
The prediction of postoperative stroke or death in patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a VISION sub-study.
The optimal means of pre-operative risk stratification in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is uncertain. ⋯ In AF patients, the three thromboembolic risk scores performed similarly to the RCRI in predicting death within 30 days and the CHADS2 score was the best predictor of postoperative stroke/death regardless of type of surgery.