Good short-term but not long-term reproducibility of the antiplatelet efficacy laboratory assessment

Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2012 Mar-Apr;18(2):174-80. doi: 10.1177/1076029611418961. Epub 2011 Sep 23.

Abstract

Background: The antiplatelet effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) varies among individual patients. We assessed the short-term reproducibility (STR) and long-term reproducibility (LTR) of light transmission aggregometry (LTA).

Methods: Residual platelet reactivity was measured twice using LTA in a group of 207 consecutive patients (56 females, mean age 67 ± 9 years) on ASA therapy in 10 ± 6 months interval. The STR was assessed in 15 patients (6 females, mean age 61 ± 7 years) with 10 measurements on 2 consecutive days.

Results: There was no correlation between both measurements in the long-term part of the study, and also Bland-Altman plot showed a diverging pattern. However, LTA STR was good with a correlation coefficient of .800 (P < .05) confirmed by Bland-Altman plot.

Conclusions: Although short-term intraindividual reproducibility of LTA assessment of platelet reactivity is very good, in the long-term perspective the antiplatelet ASA effectivity may be influenced by additional variables and repeated measurements are warranted.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Area Under Curve
  • Aspirin / pharmacology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood
  • Drug Interactions
  • Electric Impedance
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hirudins / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Kidney Diseases / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / methods*
  • Obesity / blood
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects*
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Platelet Function Tests / methods*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Smoking / blood
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Hirudins
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Aspirin