Validating 4Ts for Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT)

HIT is an immune response to heparin that can result in thrombogenic thrombocytopenia. It is often a difficult diagnosis to make, and its diagnosis is dependent upon both clinical and serologic criteria. Due to this ambiguity, increased testing and treatment may occur until serologic test results return. Recently, scoring tools have been developed to assist with the diagnosis of this disease. However, these scoring tools have yet to be validated. Thus, we plan to conduct a prospective, observational study to validate two scoring tools, the 4Ts and the Chong scale, in the diagnosis of HIT. In order to validate these scoring tools, two physicians will independently score the 4Ts and the Chong scale for all patients suspected of having HIT. These patients will be identified if a physician has ordered HIT antibody testing using the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method. Confirmatory testing with a serotonin release assay (SRA) will also be performed.