[Two cases of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia diagnosed by particle gel immunoassay.].

ABSTRACT

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious complication of heparin therapy. It represents initially as thrombocytopenia and is associated with venous or arterial thrombosis. It has been reported that platelet factor 4/heparin complex antibody plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HIT. Patients on hemodialysis have a high risk of developing HIT because heparin is administrated in hemodialysis as anticoagulant. Thrombocytopenia usually occurs 5 to 10 days after the onset of administration, but occasionally, it may occur rapidly in patients who have preformed antibodies from recent heparin use. We report here 2 cases of HIT with platelet factor 4-heparin reactive antibody in hemodialysis patients.