Platelet-related bleeding: an update on diagnostic modalities and therapeutic options

Platelet-related bleeding is a pervasive and potentially life-threatening problem that can arise in both acute and chronic clinical settings. A growing number of laboratory assays have been developed to rapidly assess underlying platelet dysfunction in the bleeding patient. This article: (1) provides an overview of the current methods of platelet function testing, with a particular emphasis on recently developed "point-of-care" tests, (2) reviews evidencebased transfusion "triggers" and provides an update on new developments in platelet component therapy, and (3) outlines those initial studies that have demonstrated how point-of-care platelet function testing has helped lead to the development of targeted transfusion strategies for the acutely bleeding patient.