The AUTOPLATE study group has used partnerships to offer improved evaluation of new light transmission aggregometry technology to diagnose platelet function disorders. George Tarpley explains how the group was established and looks at its progress so far.
Studies evaluating the performance of light transmission aggregometry (LTA) platforms typically suffer from smaller sample sizes and datasets when investigating platelet function disorders. This article will examine how the AUTOPLATE study group managed to overcome these challenges through multi-site collaboration and how this applies to other areas of research in rare diseases.
Light transmission aggregometry
Light transmission aggregometry is considered the reference methodology for the investigation of suspected platelet function disorders. It is based on a spectrophotometric methodology first described by Born and O’Brien in the 1960s1,2 and has advanced very little since its introduction to clinical practice at this time. LTA is based on the principle of light transmitting through a cuvette at 37°C containing platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and after the addition of an agonist, platelets aggregate in vitro, increasing light transmittance, which is then detected by a photodiode. The absence of aggregation to certain agonists, in combination with clinical criteria, is diagnostic for specific platelet function disorders. LTA is recommended under national and international guidelines as the screening method for the investigation of platelet function disorders and thus forms a key part of laboratory investigations in unexplained bleeding diatheses.3,4
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