title: [New stream for the measurement of anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies].
abstract: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a 'clinicopathologic syndrome'; therefore, its diagnosis depends on clinical criteria including the presence of thrombocytopenia and/or thrombosis and a pathological criterion implying the detectability of HIT antibodies. Recently, medical reimbursement (390 points) for assays of HIT antibodies using three new assay kits [HemosIL HIT-Ab(PF4-H), HemosIL AcuStar HIT IgG(PF4-H), HemosIL AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H)] was approved in Japan. The HemosIL HIT-Ab(PF4-H) kit is a latex particle-enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay to detect total heparin-associated antibodies found in HIT patients. A monoclonal antibody that mimics human HIT antibodies is coated onto latex particles. HemosIL AcuStar HIT-IgG(PF4-H) (specific for IgG anti-PF4/heparin antibodies) and HemosIL AcuStar HIT Ab(PF4-H) (detecting IgG, IgM and IgA anti-PF4/heparin antibodies) are applicable to a fully automated quantitative chemiluminescent immnunoassay instrument 'ACL AcuStar'. HIT can be excluded in all patients by a negative antigen assay using HemosIL HIT-Ab(PF4-H) or HemosIL AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H). Furthermore, in patients with previous HIT who require heparin treatment, pretesting by HemosIL HIT-Ab(PF4-H) or HemosIL AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) might be useful for preventing the onset of rapid-type HIT.
authors.affiliation: I.L. Japan Co., Ltd., Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0023, Japan. tsakata@il-japan.jp
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakata
mesh_terms: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000276:immunology*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D006493:Heparin