Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) Assessing Hypercoagulability in Patients Referred for Thrombophilia Screening

Introduction

Thrombophilia, a blood coagulation disorder, poses risks of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Coagulation assays may not be sufficient to assess VTE risk and global assays such as Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) may add valuable information. We investigated ROTEM's capacity to detect hypercoagulability in patients undergoing thrombophilia screening, its potential impact on patient outcomes, and limitations.

Methods

Comprehensive clinical, laboratory, genetic tests, and ROTEM (EXTEM and INTEM) were conducted for 356 patients referred for thrombophilia screening at an academic hospital outpatient unit. Hypercoagulability was identified as a shorter clot formation time (CFT), larger alpha angle (AA), and greater maximum clot firmness (MCF), and was compared in patients with and without VTE. Statistically this was analyzed using Mann–Whitney U and Chi-square tests with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

Among 356 patients, 64.6% had previous VTE, with 76.9% experiencing one event, 14.3% recurrent (35.6% unprovoked, 64.4% provoked). 22.5% of patients were on anticoagulation. Those with VTE history exhibited significant alterations in EXTEM and INTEM parameters compared to those without (p < 0.001), showing decreased CFT and increased AA and MCF. However, receiver operating characteristic curves for these variables indicated that none were able to discriminate between those individuals with and without thromboembolic complications.

Conclusion

ROTEM does not appear to be a strong discriminatory test. However, it can detect hypercoagulopathy in patients referred for thrombophilia screening. Abnormal ROTEM may indicate a higher risk for recurrence. However, this can only be determined in prospective cohort studies.