[The usefulness of platelet function evaluation in clinical practice]

Platelets play a pivotal role in the regulation of both thrombosis and haemostasis. Functional testing of platelet response has been exclusively used in the diagnosis and management of bleeding disorders. Recent advances of light transmission aggregometry and development of more useful devices have demonstrated the clinical utility to enlarge platelet function testing in patients with cardiovascular disease. The ex vivo measurement of residual platelet response seems, with some assays, predictive of adverse clinical events. Still a debate, it represents an emerging area of interest for both the clinician and the basic scientist. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia diagnosis is also difficult and a functional assay is now available for an easier and rapid method to rule out such a life-threatening situation. This review article will describe the available methods of measuring platelet response and will discuss both the limitations and emerging data supporting the role of platelet function studies in clinical practice.