Stago launches rapid HIT exclusion test in the UK

28 May 2012

Reading-based Stago has launched a simple test that will rapidly exclude heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), following use of heparin in surgery, in just 10 minutes.

Based on lateral flow technology, the STic Expert HIT kit provides a quick and easy way of ruling out HIT, allowing clinicians to make faster, better informed decisions for improved patient care.

HIT is a potentially fatal complication of surgical heparin use, requiring rapid heparin withdrawal to avoid long term damage, yet fewer than 10% of patients presenting with symptoms of HIT have their diagnosis confirmed by laboratory testing.

A rapid and cost-effective test to rule out HIT will avoid the need for expensive Heparin alternatives and reduces unnecessary risks to patients suffering from non-heparin associated thrombocytopenia.

The STic Expert HIT kit from Stago is an IgG-specific exclusion test designed to identify antibodies directed against the heparin-PF4 complex, offering a simple yet powerful 10-minute test to rule out HIT.

The company says that each single-use test has been carefully engineered to achieve excellent sensitivity with a negative predictive value of 100 %, providing a viable alternative to current laboratory ELISA tests which can take up to three hours. This rapid turnaround of results allows clinicians to make an informed decision on treatment strategies much earlier, offering substantial cost savings while improving patient safety.

Source: Diagnostica Stago