Versiti, Milwaukee, Wis, has launched its P-selectin expression assay (PEA), a new diagnostic option for patients suspected to have heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Brian Curtis, PhD, Versiti.

Brian Curtis, PhD, Versiti.

When compared to the current test for HIT, the PEA test can detect more patients with HIT antibodies and has a higher sensitivity, making it useful for confirming weak or inconclusive results in HIT screening tests. The PEA test also offers turnaround time of less than 24 hours.

“When compared to a serotonin release assay (SRA), the PEA test has improved sensitivity and is less demanding to run—it doesn’t require any radioactive elements, has a quicker run time, and allows us to provide results in less than 24 hours compared to SRA’s projected 1- to 3-day timeframe,” says Brian Curtis, PhD, who led the laboratory testing for the PEA test at Versiti’s diagnostic laboratories. “There is no other test like it on the market.”

Richard Aster, MD, Versiti.

Richard Aster, MD, Versiti.

HIT is an immune-mediated drug interaction and is difficult to diagnose. When left untreated, it can progress to thrombosis—the development or enlargement of blood clots within a blood vessel. Thrombosis is seen in approximately one in three HIT discharges and can cause serious conditions, including heart attack and stroke. The PEA test could help improve HIT diagnostics nationwide and potentially lower the instance of progression from HIT to thrombosis.

“The PEA test offers new hope for stopping the deadly conditions associated with HIT and thrombosis,” says Richard Aster, MD, a senior investigator at the Versiti blood research institute. “I’m honored to have been part of this lifesaving work.”

For more information, visit Versiti.