Profile of Instrumentation Laboratory's HemosIL® AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) assay for diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

Introduction: Immunoassays play an essential role in the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The objective of this article is to review HemosIL (R) AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) (Instrumentation Laboratory, Bedford, MA, USA), a new chemiluminescent immunoassay for HIT.Areas covered: The authors searched the published literature for evaluation studies of HemosIL (R) AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) and sought information from the manufacturer. In this paper, the authors discuss the analytical principle and technical aspects of the assay; describe its diagnostic performance in validation studies; report on its reproducibility, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory status; and discuss the implications of the assay on clinical practice and means of integrating it in diagnostic pathways. HemosIL (R) AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) is compared with other rapid assays and widely used enzyme-linked immunoassays for the diagnosis of HIT.Expert commentary: HemosIL (R) AcuStar HIT-Ab(PF4-H) is automatable, can be performed 24h per day, offers a rapid turnaround time, and appears to have favorable diagnostic accuracy, particularly at thresholds above that listed in the label. These advantages could lead to improved patient outcomes through rapid provision of results at the point of care, enhancing the accuracy of initial diagnosis.