Platelet function in preeclampsia: ROTEM Assessment V2

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Platelet function in women with preeclampsia: Assessment with rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM)

• IRAS ID

  200664

• Contact name

  Helen McNamara

• Contact email

  helen.mcnamara@lwh.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 6 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Preeclampsia is a condition which affects approximately 5% of women during pregnancy. It affects many parts of the body including the ability of the body to clot in response to bleeding. Clotting relies on interactions between platelets (cells in blood which stick together to form clots), clotting factors and the blood vessel walls. Testing clotting in women with preeclampsia is important in order to establish whether a spinal or epidural may be safely performed. Women may urgently need caesarean delivery. A spinal or epidural block would usually be the safest method, but if coagulation is abnormal these procedures are contra-indicated, due to the small but serious risk of a blood clot forming in the spinal or epidural spaces. Currently, this is assessed by laboratory tests.
  However, these tests take time and the patient may need to go to theatre before the results are available. Also, we know that these tests only look at a small part of the clotting process. Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) is an alternative device which can test clotting, and this can be done on delivery suite, providing results within minutes. At Liverpool Women's Hospital we have been using this device for several years and all anaesthetic staff are already trained to use it. In this study, we plan to take blood samples from women with preeclampsia,and test the blood using the ROTEM as well as laboratory tests. By comparing the results we will assess whether the ROTEM could replace standard laboratory tests in future. We would include women with preeclampsia and participants would all have two blood samples taken, at 6-12 hours apart.

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/NW/0448

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Jun 2016

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion