Seminars in thrombosis and hemostasis
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The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by venous or arterial thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in patients with persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Patients who are diagnosed with APS are identified to have a high risk of recurrent thrombosis, which can occur despite anticoagulant therapy. ⋯ Recognizing that patients with APS may potentially have different thrombotic risk profiles may assist clinicians in assessing the risks, benefits, and optimal duration of anticoagulation. Future studies that delineate thrombotic risk in APS and evaluate current and novel anticoagulants as well as nonanticoagulant therapies are required.
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Semin. Thromb. Hemost. · Sep 2014
ReviewAging hemostasis: changes to laboratory markers of hemostasis as we age - a narrative review.
The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is well recognized to increase with aging. Concurrently, the plasma concentrations of many coagulation factors (e.g., fibrinogen, factor [F] V, FVII, FVIII, and FIX) increase with aging, as does von Willebrand factor (VWF), thrombin generation, and platelet activation. Data are conflicting regarding age-related changes in the natural anticoagulants, including protein C, protein S, and antithrombin. ⋯ A variety of acquired prothrombotic risk factors (e.g., cancer, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes) also gradually develop with aging, some of which may induce profound abnormalities of hemostasis, and confound the age-related changes in hemostasis, as well as their influence on thrombotic risk. In this article, we review the changes in hemostasis markers measurable within many hemostasis laboratories, and consider many of the important implications for clinical and laboratory practice. Apart from representing an increased thrombotic risk, additional considerations entail the potential need (1) to utilize age-adjusted normal ranges (e.g., for D-dimer), (2) to consider the consequence on previous diagnoses (e.g., "mild type 1" von Willebrand disease [VWD], where VWF test results may "normalize" with aging), and (3) to consider the effect of these changes of risk factors on the (perceived) therapeutic efficacy of antithrombotic medications such as aspirin.
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Semin. Thromb. Hemost. · Sep 2014
ReviewA review of the value of D-dimer testing for prediction of recurrent venous thromboembolism with increasing age.
Recurrent thrombosis is a relatively frequent complication of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and represents an important cause of clinical and economic issues for health care systems worldwide. Rates of thrombosis increase with increasing age, with aging recognized to be a risk factor for thrombosis. ⋯ Convincing evidence has now been provided that while D-dimer values may be effectively utilized for predicting the risk of recurrent thrombosis with increasing age, conventional cutoff values are inappropriate for older populations. In summary, analysis of the current scientific literature suggests that the adoption of age-dependent thresholds may increase the diagnostic effectiveness of this biomarker with increasing age.
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Semin. Thromb. Hemost. · Mar 2014
ReviewExternal quality assessment/proficiency testing and internal quality control for the PFA-100 and PFA-200: an update.
Platelet function testing is an essential component of comprehensive hemostasis evaluation within the framework of bleeding and/or bruising investigations, and it may also be performed to evaluate antiplatelet medication effects. Globally, the platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100 (Siemens Healthcare, Marburg, Germany) is the most used primary hemostasis-screening instrument and has also been recently remodeled/upgraded to the PFA-200. The PFA-100 is sensitive to a wide range of associated disorders, including platelet function defects and von Willebrand disease (VWD), as well as to various antiplatelet medications. ⋯ Interpretations are also in general consistent with expectations and test data provided by laboratories. The EQA created material has also been assessed within the context of possible IQC material. In conclusion, EQA and IQC processes for the PFA-100/PFA-200 have been developed that include highly reproducible test challenge processes, not only supporting the concept that EQA/IQC is possible for platelet function testing but also providing a valuable mechanism for monitoring and improving laboratory performance in this area.
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Semin. Thromb. Hemost. · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyDevelopment of a tool to identify patients' preference for vitamin K antagonist or direct oral anticoagulant therapy.
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were developed for the treatment of thromboembolic diseases to overcome limitations of vitamin K antagonists (VKA). International guidelines on atrial fibrillation acknowledge patients' for antiembolic therapy with VKA or DOAC as relevant decision criteria. The objective assessment of patients' preference social interactions and psychological factors are hard to measure albeit representing important contributors. ⋯ Indication for anticoagulation were atrial fibrillation (n = 106), pulmonary embolism (n = 24), deep vein thrombosis (n = 40), artificial heart valve replacement (n = 8), or other diseases (n = 2). Based on the results of the analysis, a score will be suggested to identify the preference of patients for anticoagulation with VKA or DOAC. This tool may be useful for practitioners and health-care professionals to support patient adherence to therapy, and thereby increase treatment effectiveness.