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The aim of the present study was to perform an economic evaluation of two alternative assays of ADAMTS13 activity (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeats, member 13) for diagnosing thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in the Hospital of Lyon (France). The study approach was more economic than clinical. We retrospectively calculated the prescription costs of ADAMST13 activity from January to December 2019 for patients depending on the assay: manual ELISA (Technozym) or automated assay (AcuStar Werfen, Instrumentation Laboratory). Then, we compared the cost of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) consumption awaiting ADAMTS13 activity assay results. From an economic point of view, the automated assay was more cost-effective. From a clinical one, we supposed that the faster results given by AcuStar could improve patient care by reducing the number of TPEs. Automated assay could improve patient care without increasing costs in our institution.

TTP is a life-threatening disorder diagnosed using a combination of clinical information and laboratory results. ADAMTS13 activity and antibody testing represent a major advance in the field, but results can sometimes be difficult to interpret due to technical aspects of the tests and characteristics of the causative antibodies in acquired TTP. Genetic testing for ADAMTS13 mutations is also now available to assist with the diagnosis of inherited TTP. This review will focus on ADAMTS13 testing and will highlight patient and laboratory aspects that can lead to diagnostic difficulty. The effects of TTP therapies on test results will also be discussed.

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is still associated with a 10% to 20% death rate and its clinical course is characterized by recurrent episodes in up to 50% of cases. Over the last decade, mortality predicting models like the French TMA Reference Center Score and the Mortality In TTP Score (MITS) have been developed in an attempt to personalize treatment. The objective of the present study was to compare the results in both scores of de novo and relapsed aTTP episodes. For such purpose, a total of 29 episodes of aTTP (16 de novo and 13 relapses) were analyzed. All patients were homogeneously diagnosed and treated. First episodes had a higher score in both models in comparison with relapsed aTTP, (MITS median, 1 r: 1-4 vs 0 r: 1-2, P = .038 and French TMA Reference Center Score median, 2 r: 1-3 vs 1 r: 0-1, P = .006). The prevalence of neurological symptoms was significantly higher in the first episodes (P = .001) and patients >60 years old were more common in this group (P = .013), which may have been related to the results. Platelet count at presentation was higher in recurrences than in the first disease episode (P = .016) and ADAMTS13 activity

International audience; Background: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life‐threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) caused by a severe functional deficiency in ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type I repeats‐13), the specific von Willebrand factor (VWF) cleaving protease. ADAMTS13 activity is essential to diagnose TTP but remains challenging to assess, as reference ADAMTS13 activity assays are manual and time consuming. Current techniques also lack robustness in low detectable ADAMTS13 activity range, which could prove problematic for therapy‐driven monitoring.Objectives: The HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 activity assay is a fast, automated chemiluminescent assay, the performance of which remains to be evaluated prospectively on very large cohorts of patients with TMA and in real‐life conditions.Patients and Methods: Our study was conducted over two successive sequences: a retrospective evaluation followed by a “real‐life” prospective evaluation. Overall, we evaluated the HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 activity assay on 539 citrated plasma samples. We extensively studied linearity, limit of detection, contamination, intra‐assay and interassay precisions with a specific focus on levels < 25 IU/dL. Diagnostic performances for the detection of < 10 IU/dL ADAMTS13 activity and overall method comparison were conducted with the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRETS)‐VWF73 assay as the reference method.Results: Technical performance proved excellent. Robustness in low detectable ADAMTS13 activity range was good, potentially qualifying this assay for therapy‐driven monitoring. Comparison with the FRETS‐VWF73 assay was satisfactory (r2 = .83, P < .0001) as were the diagnostic performances for acute‐phase TTP (specificity, 99.7%; positive predictive value, 99.2%).Conclusion: The HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 activity assay is a fast, reliable, automated technique well adapted as a first‐line ADAMTS13 activity assay for TTP diagnosis and follow‐up.

BACKGROUND Prediction of HAIC treatment response is important for improving the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The progression of HCC is related to hypercoagulability and angiogenesis. It is known that ADAMTS13 and von Willebrand factor (VWF) are related to hypercoagulability. In addition, previous study reported that the association between ADAMTS13 and VWF, and angiogenesis via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Recently, ADAMTS13 and VWF have been associated with the prognosis in patients with various kinds of cancer undergoing chemotherapy. AIM To investigate whether ADAMTS13 and VWF become useful biomarkers of treatment response in HCC patients before the initiation of HAIC treatment. METHODS Seventy-two patients were enrolled in this study. ADAMTS13 activity (ADAMTS13:AC), VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) and VEGF levels were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to determine the predictive factors of treatment response in patients with HCC undergoing HAIC treatment. RESULTS ADAMTS13:AC levels in HCC patients with stable disease (SD) + partial response (PR) of HAIC treatment were significantly higher than those with progressive disease (PD) (P < 0.05). In contrast, VWF:Ag/ADAMTS13:AC ratio and VEGF levels in HCC patients with SD + PR were significantly lower than those with PD (both P < 0.05). Patients with high VWF:Ag/ADAMTS13:AC ratio (> 2.7) had higher VEGF levels than those with low ratio (≤ 2.7). Multivariable analysis revealed that VWF:Ag/ADAMTS13:AC ratio was a predictive factor of HAIC treatment response. CONCLUSION VWF:Ag/ADAMTS13:AC ratio may become a useful biomarker of treatment response in HCC patients before the initiation of HAIC treatment.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) that requires prompt plasma exchange. Clinical prediction tools may facilitate decision-making in institutions with delayed turnaround time or limited access to ADAMTS13 assays. The PLASMIC score and Bentley score have been shown to predict severe ADAMTS13 deficiency with excellent sensitivity and specificity.To validate the PLASMIC score using a population of suspected TTP, and evaluate its discriminatory power in predicting severe ADAMTS13 deficiency in comparison with Bentley score and clinical gestalt.Adults presenting with suspected TTP in Alberta, Canada between 2008 and 2018 with available ADAMTS13 results were included. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for PLASMIC score, Bentley score and clinical gestalt. Receiver operator characteristics analysis assessed the performance of the scoring systems.Among 163 individuals with suspected TTP, ADAMTS13 activity was available in 117 (72%). Severe ADAMTS13 deficiency10% was present in 62 (53%). High-risk PLASMIC score (≥6) predicted severe ADAMTS13 deficiency with a sensitivity of 81.7%, specificity 71.4%, PPV 75.4% and NPV 78.4% (c-statistic 0.80). Intermediate-high risk Bentley score (≥20) had a lower sensitivity (59.5%) and higher specificity (93.9%) with similar c-statistic (0.77). Clinical gestalt had similar sensitivity as PLASMIC score but very low specificity (16.1%).Both PLASMIC and Bentley scores had good discriminatory power in identifying severe ADAMTS13 deficiency in a Canadian TMA population compared to clinical gestalt. Integration into institutional clinical pathways may help supplement clinical judgment and reduce costs.

Absolute immature platelet counts (A-IPC) aid in diagnosis and treatment follow-up in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A-IPC was used to follow a patient on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy treated with a prolonged therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) regimen for relapsing TTP. On admission, the platelet (PLT) count was 95 × 109/L declining to 14 × 109/L in 5 days. Daily TPE was initiated for suspected TTP, and MMF was discontinued. A-IPC and PLT count were 1 × 109/L and 14 × 109/L, respectively, prior to first TPE. A-IPC improved to 3.2 × 109/L with 1 TPE, and on day 5, A-IPC and PLT count were 7.5 × 109/L and 218 × 109/L, respectively. On day 6, A-IPC and PLT count decreased to 4.8 × 109/L and 132 × 109/L further worsening to 0.4 × 109/L and 13 × 109/L, respectively. ADAMTS13 activity remained

The Hereditary TTP Registry is an international cohort study for patients with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (hTTP) and their family members. Hereditary TTP is an ultra-rare blood disorder (prevalence of ∼1–2 cases per million), the result of autosomal-recessively inherited congenital ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) deficiency (ADAMTS13 activity

Background Despite advances in treatment options for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), there are still limited high quality data to inform clinicians regarding its appropriate treatment. Methods In June 2018, the ISTH formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel to issue recommendations about treatment of TTP. The panel discussed 12 treatment questions related to immune-mediated TTP (iTTP) and hereditary or congenital TTP (cTTP). The panel used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach, including evidence-to-decision frameworks, to appraise evidence and formulate recommendations. Results The panel agreed on 11 recommendations based on evidence ranging from very low to moderate certainty. For first acute episode and relapses of iTTP, the panel made a strong recommendation for adding corticosteroids to therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and a conditional recommendation for adding rituximab and caplacizumab. For asymptomatic iTTP with low plasma ADAMTS13 activity, the panel made a conditional recommendation for the use of rituximab outside of pregnancy, but prophylactic TPE during pregnancy. For asymptomatic cTTP, the panel made a strong recommendation for prophylactic plasma infusion during pregnancy, and a conditional recommendation for plasma infusion or a wait and watch approach outside of pregnancy. Conclusions The panel's recommendations are based on all the available evidence for the effects of an individual component of various treatment approaches, including suppressing inflammation, blocking platelet clumping, replacing the missing and/or inhibited ADAMTS13, and suppressing the formation of ADAMTS13 autoantibody. There was insufficient evidence for further comparing different treatment approaches (eg, TPE, corticosteroids, rituximab, and caplacizumab, etc.), for which high quality studies are needed.

The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics and treatment of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, differential diagnoses, therapeutic methods, and prognosis of 55 patients with acquired TTP were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 55 TTP patients, 17 were males and 38 were females, with a mean age of 40 ± 15 years. Twenty-one patients had the Triad syndrome, which included neurological syndromes, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Twenty-three patients had the Quinary syndrome, which included fever, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal insufficiency, and neurological symptoms. Twenty-eight patients received the measurement for a disintegrin and metalloprotease with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) activity and 23 patients had

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy caused by severely reduced activity of the von-Willebrand factor-cleaving protease ADAMTS13, mainly caused by anti-ADAMTS-13 antibodies. Although several test systems for ADAMTS13 measurement exist, long turn-around times hamper the usability in daily practice. We performed a method comparison study for two commercially available ADAMTS13 assays and evaluated the agreement between the fully-automated rapid turn-over HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 Activity assay and the manually performed TECHNOZYM ADAMTS-13 Activity assay. Twenty-four paired test samples derived from 10 consecutively recruited patients (n = 8, acquired TTP; n = 1, atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome; n = 1, control), of which nine test samples were collected in case of clinically apparent TTP and 13 samples were collected from TTP patients in clinical remission were included. Overall correlation between the TECHNOZYM and AcuStar assay was good with a Pearson R of 0.93 (p or

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) characterized by the severe deficiency of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) activity (< 10%). Rapid ADAMTS13 testing is crucial for an early diagnosis and optimal management of acute TTP. We evaluated the performance of the HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 activity assay (Instrumentation Laboratory, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States), a fully automated chemiluminescent immunoassay with an analytical time of 33 minutes. A method comparison study was performed on 176 samples from 49 healthy donors and 127 TMA patients (109 TTP, 7 atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, 11 other TMAs), comparing this new assay with an in-house FRETS-VWF73 assay and a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (TECHNOZYM ADAMTS-13 Activity, Technoclone GmbH, Vienna, Austria). Agreement between methods was assessed with focus on ADAMTS13 activity less than 10%, the medical decision level relevant for TTP diagnosis. The HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 Activity showed good correlation with both the FRETS-VWF73 (r = 0.96) and ELISA (r = 0.96) methods. Slope of the Passing–Bablok regression was 1.05 for FRETS-VWF73 and 1.02 for ELISA, and absolute bias at the medical decision level was +0.1 and +0.3%, respectively. The study also revealed high agreement with FRETS-VWF73 (kappa 0.97) and ELISA (kappa 0.98) methods in classifying TTP patients with a severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity. Because of its short turnaround time and full automation, the HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 activity assay might become the assay of choice to rapidly test ADAMTS13 activity in plasma and thus establish the diagnosis of acute TTP in emergency settings.

Background: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a potentially fatal disease that requires early diagnosis and treatment that can be made possible by applying the PLASMIC score. This study aims to evaluate this score applicability for patients with suspected TTP in a developing country. Methods: This was a retrospective study performed at a tertiary hospital in the northeastern region of Brazil. Patients were analyzed in two groups: ADAMTS13 activity 10%. Patients were stratified according to the PLASMIC score, and the level of agreement between the PLASMIC score and the ADAMTS13 activity was evaluated. Results: Eight patients with thrombotic microangiopathy were included. Four patients had ADAMTS13 activity 10%, all with a score

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) level, ADAMTS13 activity, and neuroimaging features of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), including the CSVD neuroimaging markers and the overall CSVD burden.Methods: CSVD patients admitted to our hospital from 2016 to 2020 were recruited. Plasma VWF level and ADAMTS13 activity were measured. The overall effect of CSVD on the brain was described as a validated CSVD score. We evaluated the association between VWF levels, ADAMTS13 activity, and the increasing severity of CSVD score by the logistic regression model.Results: We enrolled 296 patients into this study. The mean age of the sample was 69.0 years (SD 7.0). The mean VWF level was 1.31 IU/mL, and the ADAMTS13 activity was 88.01 (SD 10.57). In multivariate regression analysis, lower ADAMTS13 activity and higher VWF level was related to white matter hyperintensity (WMH) [β = −7.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) (−9.40, −4.93); pβ = 0.17; 95% confidence interval (0.11, 0.23); pβ = −9.22; 95% CI (−11.37, −7.06); pβ = 0.21; 95% confidence interval (0.15, 0.27); pp = 0.22); β = 0.02; 95% confidence interval (−0.05, 0.08); p = 0.63]. Furthermore, ADAMTS13 activity was independently negatively correlated with the overall CSVD burden (odd ratio = 21.33; 95% CI (17.46, 54.60); p < 0.01) after adjustment for age, history of hypertension, and current smoking.Conclusions: Reducing ADAMTS13 activity change is related to white matter hyperintensity, subcortical infarction, but not with cerebral microhemorrhage. In addition, ADAMTS13 may have played an essential role in the progression of CSVD.

Systemic inflammation and coagulopathy are characteristic hallmarks of COVID19. “COVID coagulopathy” manifests mainly as a prothrombotic state affecting both large and small blood vessels, and presenting as arterial, venous, and microangiopathic thrombotic events with von Willebrand factor (VWF) and soluble thrombomodulin increased in hospitalized patients. The causes of coagulopathy are poorly understood. Aim: To investigate the relationship between von Willebrand factor (VWF) biomarkers, intravascular hemolysis, coagulation, and organ damage in COVID19 patients and to study their association with disease severity and mortality. Methods: 181 hospitalized adult COVID19 patients were randomly selected with a balanced distribution of survivors and non-survivors during the period of March 26th 2020 to May 5th 2020. The medical records and laboratory values were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using R studio V.3.6.2. Results: Patients who died (n=90) had significantly lower ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) activity, elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels, increased schistocyte/RBC fragment counts, and elevated VWF antigen and activity levels compared to patients discharged alive (n=91). In 31 patients, we measured several of these biomarkers on two or more occasions. The trending of ADAMTS13 activity illustrated that it is not steady throughout the hospitalization course. ADAMTS13 activity levels tended to improve and/or reach normal levels in patients that survived, yet ADAMTS13 activity levels worsened in most patients that died. Likewise, the VWF antigen and activity levels tended to decrease in patients that survived whereas tended to increase well above the normal range (2-3 folds) in patients that died. D-Dimer levels trended downwards in survivors, sometimes to levels less than 1 µg/ml, yet tended to increase in patients who died. Given the relationship between ADAMTS13 activity and mortality, we wanted to determine a cut-point of initial ADAMTS13 activity (within 72 hours from admission) to predict mortality. 102 patients in our cohort had an ADAMTS13 activity measurement within this timeframe. We determined that this optimal cut-point of initial ADAMTS13 activity was 43% using Youden’s J statistic. Only 30% of patients who had an ADAMTS13 activity level of less than 43% on admission survived, yet 60% of patients survived who had an ADAMTS13 activity level of greater than 43% on admission. Conclusions: COVID-19 may present with low ADAMTS13 activity in a subset of hospitalized patients. Presence of schistocytes/RBC fragment and elevated D-dimer levels on admission may warrant a work-up for ADAMTS13 activity and VWF antigen and activity levels. These findings indicate the need for future investigation to study the relationship between endothelial and coagulation activation and the efficacy of treatments aimed at prevention and/or amelioration of microangiopathy in COVID-19.

Preeclampsia is a multifactorial vascular disease unique to human pregnancy. While genetic and antiangiogenic factors are important contributors to preeclampsia susceptibility, recent studies have shown that dysregulation and/or over-activation of the complement system has an integral role in dis-ease etiology. Furthermore, the role of the coagulation cascade may be underappreciated in the develop-ment of the disease. Traditionally, for research purposes, the pool of preeclampsia cases has been divided into non-severe and severe disease depending on the onset and severity of the symptoms. However, of particular interest are a small but important minority of cases that present with symptoms likening to those of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets syndrome, atypical hemolytic uremic syn-drome, or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, all thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) diseases, with the hallmark mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction and aberrant activation of complement and coagu-lation cascades. We therefore propose a third class, severe TMA-like preeclampsia to be included in the categorization of preeclampsia patients. Identifying these patients would target research, diagnostic dif-ferentiation, and novel treatment options to the subclass of patients with life-threatening disease that are most likely to benefit from next-generation drug development. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Background Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. The acquired form is associated with autoantibodies directed against ADAMTS13. Both noninhibitory and inhibitory autoantibodies can be detected by ELISA assay, while only inhibitory autoantibodies are detected by Bethesda assay. Due to its short TAT and good performance, chemiluminescence (CliA) ADAMTS13 activity (HemosIL Acustar) has proven to be a good choice in the diagnosis of TTP in emergency settings. Aim of this study was to analyse the performance of the CliA ADAMTS13 activity assay in detecting inhibitory ADAMTS13 antibodies using the Bethesda assay. Methods A method comparison study was performed on 69 stored samples: 11 acute TTPs, 38 TTP follow-ups, 5 TTP relapses, 1 congenital TTP, 10 HUS, 4 suspected TTPs. We retrieved the results of tests previously run in ELISA for both activity and autoantibodies. At the same time, we reran new tests including ELISA and CliA activity, ELISA autoantibodies, and ELISA and CliA Bethesda assays on thawed frozen samples. Results Very good correlation was observed between ELISA and CliA activity assay results (r = 0.96) and between archived ELISA and CliA activity results (r = 0.93). Agreement between the anti-ADAMTS13 assays ranged from good (k = 0.63) to very good (k = 0.92). Conclusions CliA and ELISA Bethesda assays showed very good agreement with samples run at the same time using ELISA ADAMTS13-autoantibody assay. Albeit more expensive, the CliA Bethesda assay identified inhibitory anti-ADAMTS13 within almost the same TAT as ELISA, but with better automation and limited operator involvement.

Background Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare but potentially fatal disorder caused by ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13) deficiency. Prompt identification/exclusion of TTP can thus be facilitated by rapid ADAMTS13 testing. The most commonly utilized (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]-based) assay takes several hours to perform and so does not generally permit rapid testing. Objectives To evaluate the utility of a new automated test for ADAMTS13 activity, the HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 Activity assay, based on chemiluminescence and able to be performed on an ACL AcuStar instrument within 33 minutes. Patients/methods This multicenter (n = 8) assessment included testing of more than 700 test samples, with similar numbers of prospective (n = 348) and retrospective (n = 385) samples. The main comparator was the Technozym ADAMTS13 Activity ELISA. We also assessed comparative performance for detection of ADAMTS13 inhibitors using a Bethesda assay. Results Overall, the chemiluminescent assay yielded similar results to the comparator ELISA, albeit with slight negative bias. ADAMTS13 inhibitor detection was also comparable, albeit with slight positive bias with the AcuStar assay. Assay precision was similar with both assays, and we also verified assay normal reference ranges. Conclusions The HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 Activity assay provided results rapidly, which were largely comparable with the Technozym ADAMTS13 Activity ELISA assay, albeit lower on average. Conversely, inhibitor levels tended to be identified at a higher level on average. Thus, the HemosIL AcuStar ADAMTS13 Activity assay provides a fast and accurate means to quantitate plasma levels of ADAMTS13 for TTP/ADAMTS13 identification/exclusion, and potentially also for other applications.

In autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases, autoantibody profiling allows patients to be stratified and links autoantibodies with disease severity and outcome. However, in immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) patients, stratification according to antibody profiles and their clinical relevance has not been fully explored. We aimed to develop a new type of autoantibody profiling assay for iTTP based on the use of anti-idiotypic antibodies. Anti-idiotypic antibodies against 3 anti-spacer autoantibodies were generated in mice and were used to capture the respective anti-spacer idiotopes from 151 acute iTTP plasma samples. We next deciphered these anti-spacer idiotope profiles in iTTP patients and investigated whether these limited idiotope profiles could be linked with disease severity. We developed 3 anti-idiotypic antibodies that recognized particular idiotopes in the anti-spacer autoantibodies II-1, TTP73 or I-9, that are involved in ADAMTS13 binding; 35%, 24% and 42% of patients were positive for antibodies with the II-1, TTP73 and I-9 idiotopes, respectively. Stratifying patients according to the corresponding 8 anti-spacer idiotope profiles provided a new insight into the anti-spacer II-1, TTP73 and I-9 idiotope profiles in these patients. Finally, these limited idiotope profiles showed no association with disease severity. We successfully developed 3 anti-idiotypic antibodies that allowed us to determine the profiles of the anti-spacer II-1, TTP73 and I-9 idiotopes in iTTP patients. Increasing the number of patients and/or future development of additional anti-idiotypic antibodies against other anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies might allow idiotope profiles of clinical, prognostic value to be identified. ispartof: HAEMATOLOGICA vol:104 issue:6 pages:1268-1276 ispartof: location:Italy status: published

Background The purpose of this survey was to describe current practices in the U.S. for treatment of acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP), compare these with prior U.S. and current Canadian practices, and identify areas of clinical equipoise. Study design and methods A research team member administered the survey by telephone. Questions included an estimate of the annual patient volume treated, apheresis and medical therapy practices for acquired TTP. Results 32 centers from 22 states were surveyed. ADAMTS13 activity is used for confirmation of the diagnosis of acquired TTP (97%). Most commonly, daily plasma exchange (therapeutic plasma exchange [TPE]) is initiated with plasma as replacement fluid (91%) at 1.0 Plasma Volume (72%) and stopped with a platelet count of 150 × 109 /L (66%), and then TPE is tapered off (69%). Compared with a U.S. survey from 1998, a greater proportion of centers use plasma exclusively as the replacement fluid exclusively (29/32 vs 2/14 in 1998; P Conclusion Treatment of acquired TTP in the U.S. remains heterogeneous. Points of clinical equipoise identified were PV exchanged (1.0 vs >1.0), tapering of TPE versus none, and rituximab use.

Cobalamin C (cblC) deficiency is the most commonly inherited inborn error of vitamin B12 metabolism. It is characterized by multisystem involvement with severe neurological, hematological, renal and cardiopulmonary manifestations. Disease is most commonly diagnosed early in the first decade of life. We report a case of a 20-year-old woman who developed severe pulmonary arterial hypertension while under nephrologic follow-up for chronic kidney disease. She had initially presented at 14 years of age with visual disturbance and acute renal failure and been diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura on the basis of kidney biopsy findings of thrombotic microangiopathy and compatible ADAMTS13 (a disentegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif member 13). When cblC deficiency was eventually diagnosed, remarkable improvement in cardiopulmonary function was evident upon initiation of treatment. This case highlights the importance of a timely diagnosis and initiation of treatment for cblC deficiency. Clinical diagnosis may be challenged by asynchronous organ symptom presentation and by misleading laboratory tests, in this case: an initial low ADAMTS13. A simple test of plasma homocysteine level should be encouraged in cases of thrombotic microangiopathy and/or pulmonary artery hypertension.

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are a group of rare but potentially lethal hematologic disorders characterized by platelet-rich thrombi in the microvasculature. In evaluating patients with TMA, it is crucial to identify those who have thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a subtype of TMA that occurs due to a severe deficiency in ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13). Individuals with TTP require urgent therapeutic plasma exchange, which is associated with a significant reduction in mortality; however, at most centers, the results of ADAMTS13 activity testing are usually not available for 3 to 5 days. Given the possible need for urgent intervention and the lack of timely test results to guide therapy, the assessment of patients with TMA represents an ideal situation for the deployment of diagnostic scoring systems to predict the presence of severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. Here, we review the literature surrounding clinical prediction tools in the diagnosis and prognostication of patients with TMA, describe the experience at our center with evaluating TMA patients, and discuss the utility of clinical scoring systems for TMA in the context of patient care.

BACKGROUND Platelet (PLT) transfusions are probably harmful in patients with acquired idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP). Introduction of a rapid assay for ADAMTS13 activity should reduce the time to definite diagnosis of aTTP, reduce the amount of inappropriately transfused PLT concentrates, and improve mortality and morbidity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We selected 265 aTTP patients with severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. Of these, 91 patients were diagnosed by March 2005 (Period 1), when ADAMTS13 activity was measured by von Willebrand factor multimer assay, which took 4 to 7 days until the result was reported. An additional 174 patients were diagnosed after April 2005 (Period 2), when the activity was measured by a chromogenic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which took 1 to 2 days. RESULTS We found no significant differences in 30-day survival rate between the two periods. Overall, 48 patients received PLT transfusions. Mortality was slightly greater between patients with (22.9%) versus without PLT transfusion (17.7%), but not significant. In Period 1, Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that older age (≥60 years) and PLT transfusion administration were independent factors associated with higher risks of 30-day mortality. In contrast, in Period 2, lower Rose-Eldor TTP severity score and use of plasma exchange and corticosteroid therapy were independent factors associated with higher survival rates while nonadministration of PLT transfusions was not. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that PLT transfusions are harmful for aTTP patients when the definite diagnosis of severe ADAMTS13 deficiency is delayed. If it can be done as soon as possible, PLT transfusions for severe bleeding or surgical interventions might be allowed with subsequent plasmapheresis.

Background: Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare and life-threatening hematologic disorder. The decision to start plasma exchange is challenging in clinical practice, due to aTTP rarity, and the extensive differential diagnosis with other thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA). Although the ADAMTS13 activity measurement is essential to aTTP diagnosis, a rapid quantification is unavailable in most centers, being necessary to develop clinical prediction models to evaluate severe enzymatic deficiency. The first model developed was Bentley score, followed by French score and more recently PLASMIC score. Studies comparing these 3 methods are scarce. The criteria of published scoring models are summarized in Table1 Aim: To compare and evaluate the discriminative power of the Bentley, French and PLASMIC scores in predicting severe ADAMTS13 deficiency (≤10%) in our group of patients (pts). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of pts with ADAMTS13 activity tested between 2008 and 2019, in a single center. Pts were divided in two groups: ADAMTS13 activity ≤10% (ADAMTS13≤10%) and >10% (ADAMTS13>10%) and then stratified according to the 3 scores. We evaluate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) to predict low ADAMTS13 activity. Diagnostic accuracy was tested using the area under the ROC curve. A P-value of Results: ADAMTS13 activity was evaluated in 119 pts with suspected aTTP. There was a female predominance (60.5%; n=72) and the mean age was 54±20 years. Thirty-one pts had ADAMTS13≤10% and 27 (87.1%) of them had been diagnosed with aTTP, two were inherited thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and the other two were sepsis associated TMA. Comparing the groups ADAMTS13≤10% and ADAMTS13>10%, pts in the first were younger (46±18 vs 57±21 years; p=0.008), had lower platelet count (23.04±27.1 vs 47.79±37.6x109/L; p PLASMIC score was calculated in all pts. Due to missing data, Bentley score was only applied in 44.5% (n=53) and French score in 54.6% (n= 65) pts. Using a high-risk PLASMIC score as the predictor, the sensitivity was 80.6%, specificity 78.4%, PPV 56.8% and NPV 92.0%. The C-statistics for high PLASMIC score cut-offs (>5 points) was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70-0.89) (fig.1). Applying high-risk Bentley score vs low-to-intermediate-risk score, the sensitivity was 44.4%, specificity 94.3%, PPV 80.0% and NPV 76.7%. The C-statistics was 0.69 (95% CI 0.53-0.86) using the high Bentley score cut-offs (fig.2). The French score had higher sensitivity (83.3%), but lower specificity (36.2%), with 33.3% of PPV and 85.0% of NPV. Using the high French score cut-offs, the C-statistics was 0.60 (95% CI 0.45-0.75) (fig.3). There were not statistically significant differences between PLASMIC and Bentley scores in the ability to predict low ADAMTS13 activity, and both performed better than French score (p Conclusion: In our cohort, the PLASMIC score showed to be the most balanced and efficient clinical prediction score, with high sensitivity and specificity. Bentley score was also a good predictor of ADAMTS13 activity, but had lower sensitivity and less applicability; French score was comparatively inferior. Pts with low PLASMIC score are highly unlikely to have ADAMTS13 deficiency. PLASMIC score is easy to calculate and readily usable in most emergency settings while the French and Bentley scores require additional laboratory data, which is not always accessible. These results support the previously published data, showing PLASMIC score as a helpful complementary tool in clinical practice recognizing high-risk pts when ADAMTS13 activity measurement is not available. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Introduction: Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) affecting more frequently women of 30–50 years of age. There is scarce information on the clinical features of aTTP occurring in the elderly. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of an elderly-onset disease on the expression, severity and management of aTTP. Materials and methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of patients enrolled in the Milan TTP Registry (www.ttpdatabase.org) after a first acute episode of aTTP from January 2002 to March 2018. The aTTP diagnosis was suspected on the basis of the presence of thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with no alternative causes, and was confirmed centrally by a severe plasma deficiency of ADAMTS13 activity (

Background The PLASMIC score was recently published to aid in the early identification of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) patients. This study aims to evaluate whether this score is suitable for Chinese suspected TTP patients and find the utility of patients' other characteristics in predicting severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. Methods We retrospectively studied a Chinese cohort of 38 consecutive hospitalized patients with suspected TTP, ADAMTS13 test results, and other clinical data from September 2016 to May 2018. The predictive power of PLASMIC score in our cohort was evaluated, and patients' other characteristics, especially the high lactate dehydrogenase/the upper limit of normal (LDH/ULN), were studied to determine their distinguishing ability for TTP patients. Results In this Chinese cohort, 17 patients were diagnosed with TTP according to ADAMTS13 activity results. When dichotomized at intermediate-high risk (scores 5-7) vs low risk (scores 0-4), the PLASMIC score predicted TTP with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 9.52%, and a misdiagnosis rate of 90.48%. And the LDH/ULN alone, or plus platelet count, reticulocyte percentage and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) both had excellent predictive power (area under the curve [AUC] 0.937, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.863-1.000, P = .000, and AUC 0.994, 95% CI 0.980-1.000, P = .000, respectively). The model including platelet count, reticulocyte percentage, IBIL, and LDH/ULN ratio had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 95.2%, and a misdiagnosis rate of 4.8%. Conclusions A modified PLASMIC score plus LDH/ULN ratio might be more suitable for identifying ADAMTS13 deficiency patients, especially for making an earlier diagnosis, guiding the immediate and reasonable plasma exchange, and also avoiding unnecessary allocation of plasma.

Background: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening disorder caused by inactivation of ADAMTS13. It is characterized by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Previous studies have produced conflicting data regarding seasonal association of TTP diagnoses. This study evaluated the seasonal distribution of acute TTP in southern Louisiana. Additionally, this study timeline overlapped with the initiation of a new screening protocol for ADAMTS13 testing. Study Design and Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients receiving ADAMTS13 testing at Ochsner Medical Center from January 2010 to December 2017 was performed. TTP patient episodes were defined by ADAMTS13 activity

ADAMTS13 (A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin type 1 motifs) activity is a key tool in differential diagnosis of thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs). Due to the lack of availability of ADAMTS13 testing, PLASMIC/PLASIC scores have been suggested to predict ADAMTS13 deficiency. The importance of differentiating TTP from other complement-mediated TMAs is highlighted by the need to urgently start plasma exchange and utility of treatments such as caplacizumab or eculuzimab. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate ADAMTS13 activity, PLASMIC/PLASIC scores, and complement testing in guiding management of a real-world TMA cohort. We enrolled consecutive TMA patients with samples referred to our Center (01/2018–2020). If ADAMTS13 ​> ​10%, soluble C5b-9 was measured. Among 80 TMA patients, ADAMTS13 activity was ≤10% in 50 patients, while 28 had a relapsing disease. PLASMIC/PLASIC were excellent predictors of ADAMTS13 deficiency, especially in patients without secondary causes. Soluble C5b-9 levels were elevated (median 525 ​ng/ml, range 313–913 ​ng/ml) in 7 patients without secondary causes and ADAMTS13 ​> ​10% (hemolytic uremic syndrome/HUS). Two were shiga-toxin associated; while 5 atypical HUS. Only 1/5 patients received eculizumab and achieved TMA resolution implemented by guidance based on soluble C5b-9 levels. In transplant-associated TMA, 8/16 patients not responding to first-line treatment received eculizumab due to elevated C5b-9 levels (median 353 ​ng/ml, range 281–1252 ​ng/ml) and achieved TMA resolution. In conclusion, our real-world data confirm that ADAMTS13, complement testing, and PLASMIC/PLASIC are valuable tools in diagnosis and management of TMAs, but also highlight the unmet need of using available markers and treatments in clinical practice.

Summary Introduction Quantitation of ADAMTS13 activity, functional inhibitors, and autoantibodies is crucial in diagnosis and management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. We compared and optimized commercial assay kits and validated a testing panel. Methods Citrated plasma specimens from healthy volunteers and residual samples submitted for clinical testing were used in the study. Commercially available ADAMTS13 activity assays including ACTIFLUOR™ ADAMTS13 (Sekisui Diagnostics, Stamford, CT, USA), LIFECODES ATS-13 (Gen-Probe Inc., San Diego, CA, USA), and TECHNOZYM® ADAMTS-13 (Technoclone, Vienna, Austria) were evaluated. Functional inhibitor assays were performed using internally developed mixing protocols. Two autoantibody assays were also evaluated: IMUBIND® (Sekisui Diagnostics) and TECHNOZYM® ADAMTS-13 INH ELISA kits (Technoclone). Results A laboratory-developed assay using ACTIFLUOR™ reagents showed best agreement with the reference method, and full validation showed a reportable range of 5% (LLOQ) to 114% with a reference interval of ≥68%. Both intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were

The standard dose of rituximab used in B-cell hematological malignancies, 375 mg/m2 weekly, may be excessive for autoimmune conditions. Successful use of a low, fixed dose of 100-200 mg of rituximab, weekly for 4 weeks, has been reported in the literature in the treatment of autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP). We retrospectively analyzed our rituximab data in aTTP over a 13-year-period for 39 patients, with the aim of comparing response and outcomes with a standard lymphoma-dose course versus a low fixed 100 mg-dose course. Compared to the standard dose (17 patients, 17 courses of 4 infusions), our patients who received a low dose (8 patients, 9 courses of 4 infusions) had a possibly lower baseline risk but did achieve a similar time to remission and number of plasma exchange procedures to remission. Preemptive low-dose courses for ADAMTS13 activity

von Willebrand factor (VWF) is synthesised in vascular endothelial cells and released into the plasma as unusually large VWF multimers (UL-VWFMs). Sinusoidal endothelial cells are a major target of ischaemia-reperfusion injury due to liver surgery. This study aimed to clarify the effect of hepatectomy on UL-VWFMs.Thirty-five patients who underwent hepatectomy were eligible for the study. Plasma ADAMTS13 activity and VWF antigen levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and multimer analysis of plasma VWF was performed according to Ruggeri and Zimmerman's method. For analyses, patients were categorised according to UL-VWFM positivity after hepatectomy.Plasma ADAMTS13 activity significantly decreased from 61.0% (27.7%-126.2%) before operation to 37.4% (20.2%-71.4%) on postoperative day 7 (p 0.001). Plasma VWF antigen levels significantly increased from 172.1% (80.5%-412.8%) before operation to 361.0% (154.7%-745.8%) on postoperative day 2, which remained high until postoperative day 7 (p 0.001). Seven patients remained UL-VWFMs-negative and 22 patients became UL-VWFMs-positive after operation. Pringle's maneuver duration was significantly longer and blood loss volume was significantly higher in the UL-VWFMs-positive group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). By multivariable analysis, Pringle's maneuver duration [odds ratio 1.049, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.001-1.098; p = 0.043] was significantly associated with increased UL-VWFMs level after hepatectomy. UL-VWFMs index was significantly correlated with Pringle's maneuver duration (r = 0.444, p = 0.017).Plasma UL-VWFMs levels increased after hepatectomy due to ischaemia-reperfusion injury with Pringle's maneuver.

The PLASMIC score for the prediction of a likelihood of a severe ADAMTS13 deficiency represents a valid pre-test diagnostic tool to identify patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Understanding the autoimmune etiology of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has provided precision for the diagnosis and a rationale for immunosuppressive treatment. These advances have also allowed recognition of the remarkable clinical diversities of patients’ initial presentations and their long-term outcomes. These diversities are illustrated by the stories of patients from the Oklahoma TTP Registry. The initial presentation of TTP may be the discovery of unexpected severe thrombocytopenia in a patient with minimal or no symptoms. The patient may remain asymptomatic throughout treatment or may die suddenly before treatment can be started. ADAMTS13 activity may be reported as normal in a patient with characteristic clinical features of TTP, or the unexpected report of ADAMTS13 deficiency in a patient with another established disorder may lead to the discovery of TTP. ADAMTS13 activity during clinical remission is unpredictable. ADAMTS13 activity may recover and remain normal, it may remain severely deficient for many years, or it may become normal only many years after recovery. Our treatment of initial episodes and management of patients after recovery and during remission continue to change. The addition of rituximab to the treatment of acute episodes and preemptive rituximab for patients with severe ADAMTS13 deficiency during remission are reported to prevent relapse. Because TTP is uncommon, there are few data to guide these changes. Therefore our patients’ stories are profoundly influential. Their stories are the foundation of our experience, and our experience is the guide for our decisions.

Objective.To investigate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)–associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) based on their ADAMTS13 inhibitor profiles.Methods.The medical data of 31 SLE patients with clinically diagnosed TMA were analyzed. ADAMTS13 activity and ADAMTS13 inhibitor were measured in all patients.Results.TMA was attributable to active SLE in 19 patients. ADAMTS13 inhibitor and severe ADAMTS13 deficiency were detected in 6 of them. Patients with ADAMTS13 inhibitor (n = 6) exhibited a lower platelet count (7.3 ± 5.1 vs 25.0 ± 17.8 × 109/l, p = 0.005) and more prevalent central nervous system (CNS) involvement (100.0% vs 23.1%, p = 0.003) than patients without ADAMTS13 inhibitor (n = 13). Patients with ADAMTS13 inhibitor also had mild renal involvement characterized by a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (112.7 ± 18.0 vs 21.6 ± 12.0, p < 0.001), lower proteinuria level [0.6 (0.2–2.5) vs 8.1 (5.2–14.0) g/d, p = 0.011], and lower mean arterial pressure (95.3 ± 13.6 vs 117.5 ± 13.1 mmHg, p = 0.008) than was observed in patients without ADAMTS13 inhibitor. All patients with ADAMTS13 inhibitor achieved complete remission within 18.6 ± 8.7 days, while 3 patients (23.1%) without ADAMTS13 inhibitor achieved complete remission during a median followup of 5.0 months, even though more patients in this group received therapeutic apheresis (100.0% vs 50.0%, p = 0.021). The chance of complete remission increased by 10.8-fold (HR 10.8, 95% CI 1.8–65.5, p < 0.001) when ADAMTS13 inhibitor was present in SLE-associated TMA.Conclusion.Acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency is associated with more severe thrombocytopenia and CNS involvement, mild renal involvement, rapid resolution, and relatively good treatment response in SLE-associated TMA.

Background Severe deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity resulting from anti-ADAMTS13 IgG is the primary cause of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP). Anti-ADAMTS13 IgG may bind and inhibit plasma ADAMTS13 activity and/or accelerate clearance of ADAMTS13 from the circulation. The present study aims to determine the initial and longitudinal changes of plasma ADAMTS13 activity, antigen, and anti-ADAMTS13 IgG and their relationships with clinical responses and outcomes of patients with iTTP after standard treatment. Methods Thirty-eight patients with a confirmed diagnosis of iTTP who underwent therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) at UAB Medical Center were enrolled into the study. The study spanned from May 2015 to December 2018. An informed consent was obtained from each participant. Clinical and laboratory information was extracted from the electronic medical record and stored in the Alabama TTP Registry database. Plasma samples were collected prior to the initiation of and every 3 to 5 days after TPE until discharge. Plasma ADAMTS13 activity, antigen, and anti-ADAMTS13 IgG were determined using commercially available reagents. Mann-Whitney test, Fisher’s exact test, Spearman rank correlation, Cox proportional hazard regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to determine statistical significances. Results The median age of this cohort was 46.5 years old; 26 (68%) patients were female and 12 (32%) were male. Twenty-three patients (60%) were experiencing their initial episode while 15 (39%) had an exacerbation/relapse at the time of enrollment. All patients were diagnosed based on the findings of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, plasma ADAMTS13 activity ( Conclusion Initial and longitudinal assessment of plasma ADAMTS13 activity, antigen, inhibitor titer, and anti-ADAMTS13 IgG may be useful not only for diagnosis but also for predicting the risk of exacerbation. This may influence how we select a therapeutic modality for a better outcome. Long-term follow-up is necessary to determine whether these ADAMTS13 biomarkers at patient discharge are predictive of relapse and mortality.

BACKGROUND Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) due to deficiency of the von Willebrand-cleaving protease ADAMTS13 is a hematologic emergency that requires prompt initiation of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). Long turnaround times (TATs) have precluded the use of pre-TPE measurement of ADAMTS13 activity for the initial diagnosis in most institutions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS An in-house rapid TAT (r-TAT) assay for ADAMTS13 activity was implemented after 18 months of validation. In a quasi-experimental design using interrupted time series analysis, patterns of plasma utilization in patients with suspected TTP were assessed after implementation of this assay for ADAMTS13 activity and compared to utilization patterns for patients who received plasma exchange before r-TAT assay implementation designated the standard TAT period. RESULTS In the 18 months after implementation of the r-TAT ADAMTS13 assay, there was a significant reduction in plasma utilization per patient suspected of having TTP (mean, 144.5 units vs. 63.3 units of plasma per patients suspected of having TTP; p = 0.002). The mean number of exchanges per patient and mean number of exchanges after achieving a platelet count of at least 150 × 10(9) /L were lower in the r-TAT cohort (p

ADAMTS13 is a zinc-containing metalloprotease that cleaves von Willebrand factor (VWF). Deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity is accountable for a potentially fatal blood disorder thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Understanding of ADAMTS13-VWF interaction is essential for developing novel treatments to this disorder.Despite the proteolytic activity of ADAMTS13 being restricted to the metalloprotease domain, the ancillary proximal C-terminal domains including the disintegrin domain, first TSP-1 repeat, cysteine-rich region, and spacer domain are all required for cleavage of VWF and its analogs. Recent studies have added to our understandings of the role of the specific regions in the disintegrin domain, the cysteine-rich domain, and the spacer domain responsible for its interaction with VWF. Additionally, regulative functions of the distal portion of ADAMTS13 including the TSP-1 2-8 repeats and the CUB domains have been proposed. Finally, fine mapping of anti-ADAMTS13 antibody epitopes have provided further insight into the essential structural elements in ADAMTS13 for VWF binding and the mechanism of autoantibody-mediated TTP.Significant progress has been made in our understandings of the structure-function relationship of ADAMTS13 in the past decade. To further investigate ADAMTS13-VWF interactions for medical applications, these interactions must be studied under physiological conditions in vivo.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can present with a spectrum of clinical manifestations. When TTP is in a patient's clinical differential diagnosis, therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) should be initiated emergently. Enzyme activity level of A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with a Thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) in conjunction with the evolving clinical picture can guide further therapy, including duration and frequency of TPE and choice of fluid replacement. Our experience switching reference laboratories to obtain a more rapid turnaround time of ADAMTS13 activity level resulted in significant changes in clinical management, including fewer overall TPE procedures and the occasional use of albumin for a portion of the replacement fluid in patients without severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 and a low index of clinical suspicion for TTP. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:419-422, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.