Autoimmune heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia

Autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (aHIT) indicates the presence in patients of anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4)-polyanion antibodies that are able to activate platelets strongly even in the absence of heparin (heparin-independent platelet activation). Nevertheless, as seen with serum obtained from patients with otherwise typical heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), serum-induced platelet activation is inhibited at high heparin …