clot retraction time

Indications

• evaluation of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia

Reference interval

• clot retraction begins in 1 hour
• maximum clot retraction at 24 hours

Clinical significance

• decreased retraction
  • clinical disorders
    • thrombocytopenia (platelets < 100,000/mm3)
    • Glanzmann's thrombasthenia*
    • hyperfibrinogenemia
    • erythrocytosis
  • pharmaceutical agents
    • plicamycin
    • carbenicillin

* only platelet function disorder in which poor or absent clot retraction is suspected

• normal clot retraction in:
  • Bernard Soulier syndrome
  • storage pool disease
  • cyclo-oxygenase inhibition (diminished thromboxane A2)

Decreases

• clinical disorders
  • thrombocytopenia (platelets < 100,000/mm3)
  • Glanzmann's thrombasthenia
  • hyperfibrinogenemia
  • erythrocytosis
• pharmaceutical agents
  • plicamycin
  • carbenicillin

Specimen

• whole blood (no anticoagulant)
• allow to clot at 37 degrees C in a clean glass tube

More general terms

• clinical hematology test

Additional terms

• Glanzmann's thrombasthenia