Abstract
The thrombin generation assay (TGA), originally developed by McFarlane and Biggs in
1956, was modified in the 2000s by Hemker and coworkers. TGA aims to monitor the continuous
generation of thrombin upon activation of coagulation in plasma by the addition of
such triggers as small amounts of tissue factor, synthetic phospholipids, and calcium
chloride. TGA is sensitive to hypo- and hypercoagulability and is affected by prohemostatic
as well as antithrombotic drugs. The review of the current literature shows that TGA
is mainly used to investigate conditions characterized by hypo- as well as hypercoagulability
and as a laboratory tool to elucidate coagulation mechanisms that are not yet completely
understood. This article aims to overview the value and limits of current procedures
for TGA for the investigation of hemostasis.
Keywords
hypocoagulability - hypercoagulability - hemorrhage - thrombosis - cirrhosis - hemophilia
