Multiparameter test for thrombosis and bleeding
Thrombosis-related diseases account for approximately one in four deaths worldwide. Antithrombotic treatment does not fully protect against recurrent thrombosis and can cause bleeding as severe side effect. To estimate the patients’ risk of thrombosis or bleeding, currently multiple diagnostic tests have to be performed. Within the UM/MUMC+ a multiparameter flow test has been developed and together with the start-up company FlowChamber BV this test will now be optimised to assess all stages of blood clotting within one single test.
The increasing number of people suffering from thrombosis together with the increasing complexity of treatment asks for better diagnostic tools for risk prediction and personalised treatment. The standard set of multiple routine tests is time consuming, expensive, and does not provide a true reflection of blood clotting in the body. The novel multiparameter flow test is faster (20 min vs. 120 min) and can better assess the overall clotting potential of blood, which improves the identification of patients at risk of thrombosis or bleeding. The INSPIRING project can contribute to affordable health care by lowering costs of diagnostic testing (€55 vs. €300 per patient) and by preventing thrombotic and bleeding complications in patients as the result of improved therapy.
The following steps will be taken in this project: 1) optimise the sensitivity of the flow test, 2) validate the optimised test using specific inhibitors and blood from patients at high risk of thrombosis or bleeding, and 3) develop and test a prototype diagnostic device with advanced software. The novel flow test improves risk prediction of thrombosis and bleeding to achieve more effective, personalised treatment.
The project developed a novel multiparameter flow test that can assess the clotting potential of blood, allowing to discriminate between the risk of thrombosis and bleeding. The test sensitivity and specificity has been validated based on in vitro pharmacological interventions with healthy control blood, as well as with blood from relevant patient groups. The test was subsequently implemented in the Central Diagnostic Laboratory of the Maastricht University Medical Centre+.
More information can be found here.
