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Aim Limited data are available regarding the clinical relevance of platelet function measurements in stable patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Our aim is to evaluate the agreement between multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) and light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) in detecting clopidogrel low responders and their prognostic value in CAD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on dual platelet inhibition. Methods LTA and MEA were performed in 122 stable cardiovascular patients with T2DM. The upper quartile of patients according to maximum LTA (LTAmax) and MEA measurements were defined as clopidogrel low responders. Agreement between the two methods was evaluated by kappa statistics. We assessed the potential correlation between antiplatelet response and clinical outcome and the optimal cutoff value according to ROC analysis to predict the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), during 1-year follow-up period. Results Cohen's kappa coefficients (0.214) indicated fair agreement (70.2%) between LTA and MEA. A total of 25 MACE occurred in 108 patients (23.1%). Patients with MACE had higher LTAmax than those without (57.1 ± 16.5 vs 49.3 ± 18.3, respectively, p = 0.023). MEA measurements were similar between patients with and without MACE (30.1 ± 15.4 vs 30.6 ± 20.8, respectively; p = 0.84). Multiple logistic regression showed LTAmax response as an independent predictor of death from cardiovascular causes (Odds Ratio, adjusted:0.2;0.05–0.81). ROC analysis indicated that LTAmax cutoff of 62.5% best predicted death (AUC = 0.67, sensitivity = 78%, specificity = 61.5%). Conclusions The assessment of platelet responsiveness remains highly test-specific. Our results support the prognostic role of LTA, but not MEA testing, for death risk evaluation in stable cardiovascular T2DM patients.

The aim of the present study was to assess the coagulation profile in neonatal critical illness using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), and to investigate its association with disease severity and its potential prognostic role in this clinical setting. Over a period of 67 months (July 2014–February 2020) 423 critically ill neonates with confirmed or suspected sepsis, perinatal hypoxia, or respiratory distress syndrome, hospitalized in our neonatal intensive care unit were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded on admission day and arterial blood was analyzed on ROTEM analyzer using the standard extrinsically activated rotational thromboelastometry assay (EXTEM). Neonatal illness severity scores (Modified NEOMOD [Neonatal Multiple Organ Dysfunction] and SNAPPE [Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology with Perinatal Extension]) were calculated at the same time as ROTEM analysis. Mortality during in-hospital stay was the main outcome measure. Multivariable analyses showed that a 10 mm decrease in EXTEM clot amplitude recorded at 10 minutes (A10) is significantly associated with a higher mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33–2.08). Higher modified NEOMOD (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.26–1.47) and higher SNAPPE scores (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04–1.08) were also associated with increased mortality. The CT and A10 variables demonstrated the best prognostic performance among the EXTEM parameters for mortality (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69–0.86 and AUC = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.66–0.85, respectively), showing an optimal cut-off CT ≥63 seconds and A10 ≤37 mm. Using optimal cut-off values of the EXTEM parameters for prediction of mortality, neonates with CT ≥63 seconds were 7.4 times more likely to die (OR = 7.40, 95% CI: 3.50–15.65), while neonates with A10 ≤37 mm were 5.8 times more likely to die (OR = 5.88, 95% CI: 2.94–12.50). An EXTEM hypocoagulable profile on disease onset was shown to be an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality in neonatal critical illness.

Objectives: Our aim was to assess blood utilization after implementation of a patient blood management (PBM) program in a Greek tertiary hospital. Methods: An electronic transfusion request form and a prospective audit of transfusion practice were implemented. After the one-year implementation period, a retrospective review was performed to assess transfusion practice in medical patients. Results: Pre-PBM, a total of 9478 RBC units were transfused (mean: 1.75 units per patient) compared with 9289 transfused units (mean: 1.57 units per patient) post-PBM. Regarding the post-PBM period, the mean hemoglobin (Hb) level of the 3099 medical patients without comorbidities transfused was 7.19 ± 0.79 gr/dL. Among them, 2065 (66.6%) had Hb levels &gt, 7.0 gr/dL, while 167 (5.3%) had Hb levels &gt, 8.0 gr/dL. In addition, 331 (25.3%) of the transfused patients with comorbidities had Hb &gt, 8.0 gr/dL. The Hb transfusion thresholds significantly differed across the clinics (p &lt, 0.001), while 21.8% of all medical non-bleeding patients received more than one RBC unit transfusion. Conclusion: A poor adherence with the restrictive transfusion threshold of 7.0 gr/dL was observed. The adoption of a less strict threshold might be a temporary step to allow physicians to become familiar with the program and be informed on the safety and advantages of the restrictive transfusion strategy.