Platelet Aggregometry Quantification System

The currently used method for assessing the kinetics of platelet aggregation was described by Born in 1963, and has remained a standard in vitro test for studying platelet aggregation functions for more than 40 years. Born's test has been of only modest practical value beyond identifying impaired platelet aggregation, because the common parameters used to characterize the aggregation curve (slope and amplitude) are inadequate to describe all aspects of the process. Additionally the test itself is cumbersome, requiring multiple assays with different agonists.

We have developed a platelet aggregation (PA) scoring method that takes into account the area under the aggregation curve, primary wave of platelet aggregation and the degree of disaggregation and then adjusts for the patient's platelet count to provide a single numerical value PA score (See Figure). PA score demonstrated a strong correlation with outcomes of surgical interventions reported in the paper "Saad E, Kaplan S, El-Massry S, Kaplan A, Marcoe KF, Zammit M, Fisher LD, Sauvage LR. Platelet aggregometry can accurately predict failure of externally supported knitted Dacron femoropopliteal bypass grafts. J Vasc Surg 1993;18:587-95" and others (see References).

Our equipment and test procedure allow to obtain the most meaningful and reproducible results since the platelets presented for testing with minimal disruption from sample preparation and close to their in vivo state. Test results are presented to the physician in the following format:

We also considerably simplified the procedure for preparing plasma for the platelet aggregation test by eliminating centrifugation and minimizing sample handling.