Comparison of Two Different Blood Sample Tubes for Platelet Function Analysis with the Multiplate® System.

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Hematology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Thrombin inhibitors are recommended anticoagulants for whole blood aggregation testing using the Multiplate® system.
• Traditional liquid lepirudin tubes require refrigeration and are not sterile.
• New sterile tubes with dried hirudin offer room-temperature storage and improved handling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of new sterile dried hirudin tubes against traditional liquid lepirudin tubes for platelet function analysis.
• To evaluate the suitability of both tube types for use with the Multiplate® system.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected from 30 patients undergoing antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and/or clopidogrel).
• Platelet function was assessed using ASPItest, ADPtest, and TRAPtest on the Multiplate® system with both tube types.
• Correlation analysis was performed to compare results between the two sample tube formulations.

Main Results:

• Excellent correlation was observed between the two tube types for ASPItest (r² = 0.96).
• Good correlation was found for ADPtest (r² = 0.91), and satisfying correlation for TRAPtest (r² = 0.85).
• Both sample tubes demonstrated comparable performance in platelet function assays.

Conclusions:

• Both liquid lepirudin and sterile dried hirudin tubes are suitable for platelet function analysis on the Multiplate® system.
• The new sterile dried hirudin tubes are recommended for routine use due to enhanced handling and storage convenience.