A new biomarker quantifies differences in clot microstructure in patients with venous thromboembolism.

This study compared patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) to non-VTE patients using a biomarker of clot microstructure (df ) and clot formation time (TGP ). df was the only marker that identified a significant difference (P < 0·001) between the VTE (n = 60) and non-VTE cohorts (n = 69). The 'abnormal' clot microstructures in the VTE patients suggests either inadequate response to anticoagulant therapy or the presence of a procoagulant state not detected by other markers of coagulation (i.e., International Normalized Ratio). Furthermore, elevated values of df in first time VTE patients who later develop a secondary event indicates that df may identify those at risk of recurrence.