Novel disease entities due to antiplatelet factor 4 antibodies: HIT, aHIT, and VITT

Antiplatelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, also known as anti-PF4/heparin complex antibodies, are measured to diagnose heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). In HIT, anti-PF4 antibodies induced by heparin exposure cause thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. However, in recent years, autoimmune HIT (aHIT) t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRinshō ketsueki Vol. 63; no. 5; p. 454
Main Author Yasumoto, Atsushi
Format Journal Article
LanguageJapanese
Published Japan 2022
Subjects
COVID-19
HIT
VITT
Anti-PF4 antibody
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Summary:Antiplatelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, also known as anti-PF4/heparin complex antibodies, are measured to diagnose heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). In HIT, anti-PF4 antibodies induced by heparin exposure cause thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. However, in recent years, autoimmune HIT (aHIT) that develops without heparin exposure has been getting attention. In 2021, anti-PF4 antibodies were reported to cause the fatal vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) that developed after adenoviral vector vaccination for COVID-19. HIT, aHIT, and VITT are considered to be caused by anti-PF4 antibodies, and their pathological conditions are similar. However, they have different levels of severity, and the detection sensitivity of their antibodies varies depending on the assay. Herein, we review three pathologies, namely, HIT, aHIT, and VITT, associated with anti-PF4 antibodies.
ISSN:0485-1439
DOI:10.11406/rinketsu.63.454