Consistency of thromboelastometry analysis under scrutiny: Results of a systematic evaluation within and between analysers

Michael Nagler*, Hugo ten Cate, Silvio Kathriner, Mattias Casutt, Lucas M. Bachmann, Walter A. Wuillemin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

While the use of thromboelastometry analysis (ROTEM (R)) in evaluation of haemostasis is rapidly increasing, important validity parameters of testing remain inadequately examined. We aimed to study systematically the consistency of thromboelastometry parameters within individual tests regarding measurements between different analysers, between different channels of the same analyser, between morning and afternoon measurements (circadian variation), and if measured four weeks apart. Citrated whole blood samples from 40 healthy volunteers were analysed with two analysers in parallel. EXTEM, INTEM, FIBTEM, HEPTEM and APTEM tests were conducted. A Bland-Altman comparison was performed and homogeneity of variances was tested using the pitman test. P-value ranges were used to classify the level of homogeneity (p0.5 high homogeneity). Less than half of all comparisons made showed high homogeneity of variances (p>0.5) and in about a fifth of comparisons data distributions were heterogeneous (p
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1161-1166
JournalThrombosis and Haemostasis
Volume111
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2014

Keywords

  • Thromboelastometry
  • reliability
  • reproducibility

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