Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: The Dark Side of a Common Anticoagulant

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a syndrome of platelet activation, thrombocytopenia, and thrombosis that occurs in 1-5% of patients who receive heparin. HIT is a clinicopathologic diagnosis where laboratory testing plays an essential role. Accurate and timely diagnosis is essential to avoid potentially life- or limb- threatening thrombotic complications. It is also important to avoid HIT over-diagnosis, which is common, and leads to suboptimal patient management. This presentation will emphasize the role of the laboratory in HIT diagnosis. At the conclusion, participants will be able to describe the syndrome, available laboratory testing, and optimal diagnostic algorithms.

Lecture Presenters
George M. Rodgers III, MD, PhD
George M., Rodgers III, MD, PhD
Professor of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine
Medical Director, Hemostasis/Thrombosis Laboratory, ARUP Laboratories

George M. Rodgers, MD, PhD is a Professor of Medicine and Pathology at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. He is also a Medical Director of the Hemostasis/Thrombosis Laboratory at ARUP Laboratories. He received his MD and PhD degrees from Tulane University, did Internal Medicine training at Baylor College of Medicine, and received Hematology fellowship training at UCSF. Dr. Rodgers’ clinical and research interests include benign hematology, especially disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis. He has published over 200 journal articles and book chapters as well as 3 books, primarily on coagulation subjects. He is an associate editor of Wintrobe’s Clinical Hematology textbook.

Kristi J. Smock, MD
Kristi J. Smock, MD
Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine
Medical Director, Hemostasis/Thrombosis Laboratory, ARUP Laboratories
Associate Residency Program Director, University of Utah Department of Pathology

Kristi Smock, MD is an Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. She is board certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology with subspecialty certification in Hematology. She serves as a Medical Director for the Hemostasis/Thrombosis laboratory at ARUP. She is an active member of several professional organizations in the arena of Hemostasis/Thrombosis and is the current Vice President of the North American Specialized Coagulation Laboratory Association and also a member of the College of American Pathologists Coagulation Resource Committee. She is actively involved in medical student, resident, and fellow education at the University of Utah including serving as the Associate Residency Program Director in the Department of Pathology since 2012. She has research and teaching interests in a variety of areas related to Hemostasis/Thrombosis.

Objectives

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

Review the pathophysiology and clinical importance of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
Discuss laboratory testing methodologies used for HIT diagnosis.
Discuss optimal laboratory approaches for accurate, timely, and cost-effective HIT diagnosis.