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Enhancing Platelet Dysfunction Diagnosis with Platelet Function Screen The Platelet Function Screen (PFA-100®) is a critical in vitro system for detecting platelet dysfunction. It uses citrated whole blood samples under high shear flow conditions, demonstrating its sensitivity. As blood is aspirated through collagen-coated membranes, platelet adhesion forms an initial matrix. Adding to the mix, platelet aggregation is stimulated by either epinephrine (COL/EPI) or adenosine diphosphate (COL/ADP), coating the membranes. In this process, the time required to form a platelet plug that blocks the aperture, known as closure time (CT), is the key measure of platelet function. Interestingly, several conditions can cause prolonged CT, including drug effects, low hematocrit, thrombocytopenia, von Willebrand Disease (vWD), and platelet disorders. Notably, aspirin therapy impacts the COL/EPI closure time more than COL/ADP. While assessing results, hematological considerations are pivotal, particularly with anemia and thrombocytopenia that could extend CT. Platelet counts below 150,000/uL or hematocrit below 35% could interfere with the results, thus, the test might not serve patients with counts below 100,000/uL or hematocrit under 30%. Moreover, hematocrit over 50% could generate inconsistent outcomes. Fundamentally, normal CT with both COL/EPI and COL/ADP signifies healthy platelet function. The COL/EPI membrane, while sensitive to primary hemostasis disorders, […]