We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Aspirin Found Less Effective Preventing Blood Clots in Atherosclerotic Blood Vessels

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 02 Apr 2014
Print article
Image: Artificial blood vessels on a microfluidic chip; the researchers used a device that simulated blood flowing through narrowed coronary arteries to assess effects of anticlotting drugs (Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology).
Image: Artificial blood vessels on a microfluidic chip; the researchers used a device that simulated blood flowing through narrowed coronary arteries to assess effects of anticlotting drugs (Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology).
A novel microfluidic device that mimicked arterial blood flow was used to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-thrombotic drugs under various blood-flow conditions.

Investigators at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, USA) had previously described the design and application of a microfluidic system for simultaneous optical measurement of thrombosis at multiple, well-defined shear rates simultaneously in whole pig blood without the addition of antiplatelet therapies, and presented a proof of concept for applying clinically derived pathological flow conditions to whole blood samples in a microscope-free, high throughput, microscale system.

In the current study they applied the microfluidic device to human blood across a range of shear rates and antiplatelet therapy concentrations to accurately, robustly, and statistically quantify metrics of platelet activity for a cohort of 14 human patients.

The investigators examined the effectiveness of two blood-thinning treatments: aspirin and GPIIb/IIIa-inhibitors. GPIIb/IIIa-inhibitors are generally given to patients with a higher heart attack risk. The investigators used the microfluidic device to measure occlusion times and thrombus detachment for a range of initial shear rates and therapy concentrations with eptifibatide (the GPIIb/IIIa-inhibitor), or acetyl-salicylic acid (aspirin). They also measured complete blood counts (CBC) and platelet activity using whole blood impedance aggregometry.

Results published in the January 3, 2014, online edition of the journal PLOS ONE revealed that aspirin had little effect on high shear occlusion times, even at very high doses (up to 20 times the recommended dose). Under aspirin therapy, the thrombi formed at high shear rates were four times more prone to detachment compared to those formed under control conditions. Eptifibatide reduced occlusion when controlling for shear rate, and its efficacy increased with dose concentration. In contrast, the hazard of occlusion from aspirin was several orders of magnitude higher than that of eptifibatide. The results showed similar dose efficacies to low shear measurements using whole blood aggregometry.

The investigators concluded that at lower shear rates, such as found in normal arteries, aspirin was fairly effective at stopping platelets from clumping, but at higher shear rates aspirin was not as effective at preventing these clots. The GPIIb/IIIa-inhibitor was effective at preventing blood clots across all shear rates tested, suggesting that these drugs would be effective for people with the higher shear rates caused by atherosclerosis.

“For a patient being prescribed antithrombotic drugs who is at risk for a heart attack, we can draw a small amount of their blood and quickly push a little bit through this device, and based on that information, tell them to take a certain amount of a certain drug. That is where we are going with this project,” said senior author Dr. Craig Forest, assistant professor of bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “These microfluidic devices are so cheap and require so little blood that it could become possible for someone to use this in a disposable, rapid way.”

Related Links:

Georgia Institute of Technology


Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Specimen Collection & Transport
POCT Fluorescent Immunoassay Analyzer
FIA Go
New
Gold Member
Fully Automated Cell Density/Viability Analyzer
BioProfile FAST CDV

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection

Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The study showed the blood-based cancer screening test detects 83% of people with colorectal cancer with specificity of 90% (Photo courtesy of Guardant Health)

Blood Test Shows 83% Accuracy for Detecting Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths among adults in the U.S., with forecasts suggesting 53,010 people might die from it in 2024. While fewer older adults are dying from this... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health)

First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy

Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The new platform is designed to perform blood-based diagnoses of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Blood Test Cuts Diagnosis Time for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections from Months to Hours

Breathing in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a common experience for many people. These bacteria are present in water systems, soil, and dust all over the world and usually don't cause any problems.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: These new assays are being developed for use on the recently introduced DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)

Beckman Coulter and Fujirebio Expand Partnership on Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnostics

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and Fujirebio Diagnostics (Tokyo, Japan) have expanded their partnership focused on the development, manufacturing and clinical adoption of neurodegenerative... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.