HOUSTON, Aug. 4 TX-SpectraCell-Test
HOUSTON, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- SpectraCell Laboratories now offers
Aspirin Response Testing (ART(TM)). This newly available test measures a
person's response to low-dose aspirin therapy, which is routinely prescribed
to millions of Americans for cardiovascular disease prevention.
Recent research has shown that the effects of aspirin in reducing blood
(platelet) "stickiness" will vary considerably from patient to patient. In
fact, conservative estimates suggest that aspirin resistance exists in about
25% of the population. Since studies show that individuals who do not respond
to aspirin (in reducing platelet stickiness) are more than three times more
likely to die from heart disease than those that respond well to aspirin,
ART(TM) is vital information. Not only will ART(TM) tell a clinician if
aspirin therapy is working, but it can also help a clinician determine the
appropriate dosage of aspirin for each patient, allowing a doctor to tailor
their recommendations to the individual.
Platelets are small blood cells that stick together to form blood clots
and control bleeding. They produce a chemical called thromboxane to attract
other platelets and increase their stickiness. Aspirin works by inhibiting
the production of thromboxane by platelets, therefore reducing their
stickiness and limiting the size of clots. ART(TM) measures the level of
thromboxane production in apparently healthy individuals.
Specifically, ART(TM) is an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) that
measures the levels of 11-Dehydro Thromboxane B2 (11dhTxB2) in human urine.
It reflects in vivo production of thromboxane A2, which is the target of
aspirin therapy. Clinical studies such as the large HOPE (Heart Outcomes
Prevention Evaluation) study have shown that elevated levels of 11dhTxB2
correlate to increased cardiovascular risk.
"Over one million Americans will have a heart attack this year and 40% of
those will be fatal. Many of these people are taking aspirin with the
assumption that it has the same level of efficacy on everyone," says Dr. Fred
Crawford, VP of Operations and Technical Director at SpectraCell Laboratories.
"Plus, most people assume aspirin is totally benign, which is not always the
case. For the functionally minded physician, ART(TM) is a superb diagnostic
tool for identifying asymptomatic patients whose aspirin treatment is not
working."
There are several reasons why a patient may not respond well to aspirin.
It may be as simple as a patient taking a dose too low to effectively inhibit
thromboxane A2 production. Platelets can also be activated by pathways that
are not blocked by aspirin so other anti-thrombotic therapies may benefit
patients that are resistant to aspirin for this reason.
Standard platelet function tests require freshly drawn blood and must be
evaluated within four hours. However, since ART(TM) uses a random urine
sample, it is not subject to variables associated with blood sampling. In
addition, aspirin response is highly assay-specific, meaning that a patient
may not test positive for aspirin resistance with tests that stimulate
platelet aggregation in vitro via other, less specific pathways. ART(TM) is
done in vivo and specifically measures stable thromboxane metabolites. The
final results are reported in picograms of 11dhTxB2 per milligram of creatine
to standardize results to urine concentration.
About SpectraCell Laboratories -- SpectraCell is a CLIA accredited
laboratory that services healthcare providers nationwide by providing advanced
clinical testing with the patent pending LPP(TM) (Lipoprotein Particle
Profile) and FIA(TM) (Functional Intracellular Analysis) and tests.
SpectraCell's LPP(TM) testing is the most advanced lipoprotein test
available. Unlike traditional cholesterol tests, SpectraCell's LPP(TM)
directly measures the number of several classes of lipoprotein particles
providing an accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk.
SpectraCell's FIA(TM) testing is an innovative assessment of a patient's
nutritional status. Unlike traditional serum, hair and urine tests,
SpectraCell's FIA(TM) measures how an individual's white blood cells function
in specific nutritional environments. Over 30 vitamins, minerals, amino acids
and antioxidants are evaluated. With this information, repletion programs can
be implemented that take individual differences in metabolism, age, genetics,
health, prescription drug usage, absorption rate and other factors into
consideration.
SOURCE SpectraCell Laboratories
