Semin Thromb Hemost 2005; 31: 404-410 DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-916674
Copyright © 2005 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.
Can Platelet Function Tests Predict the Clinical Efficacy of Aspirin?
Hannelore Haubelt1, Christof Anders1, Peter Hellstern1,2
1 Institute of Hemostaseology and Transfusion Medicine, Academic City Hospital, Ludwigshafen, Germany 2 Medical Director

ABSTRACT

“Aspirin resistance” and “aspirin nonresponsiveness” are terms used both to describe both the failure of aspirin to protect subgroups of individuals from severe vascular events and to evoke an appropriate inhibition of platelet function. Several studies utilizing a broad range of platelet function tests have shown that some subgroups of individuals exhibit a reduced or completely missing antiplatelet response to aspirin. The clinical significance of aspirin nonresponsiveness for the prediction of clinical endpoints remains, however, to be determined. Thus far, only three prospective clinical trials have demonstrated a possible relationship between aspirin nonresponsiveness and subsequent vascular events. Most platelet function tests used in respective clinical studies cannot be reliably performed in clinical routine and are not interchangeable for monitoring antiplatelet treatment. There is a need for a simple and reliable assay for predicting the clinical efficacy of antiplatelet therapy. Recent data demonstrate that none of the currently developed assays, including the PFA-100 system, are presently able to accomplish these objectives.

KEYWORDS

Aspirin - aspirin nonresponsiveness - platelet function tests - predictive value