Background:
Epidemiological studies on the relation between markers of primary haemostasis and disease requires a cost-efficient high throughput facility. Therefore, we have developed a semi-automated ELISA facility to determine up to 8 markers of primary haemostasis (b-tromboglobulin, platelet factor 4, soluble Glycoprotein 1b, soluble P-selectin, soluble CD40 ligand, RANTES, the von Willebrand Factor and the von Willebrand Factor propeptide). This facility is optimized for large epidemiological studies. Since January 2008, the ELISA system is non-stop creating output for collaborative studies.
Aim:
1. To translate state of the art knowledge of platelet function to relevance for the population and for the clinic.
2. To collaborate with clinical research groups to extend our knowledge about the involvement of platelets activation markers and (cardiovascular) disease.
Projects:
(1) Case control study on the relation between a set of eight markers of platelet activation in relation to myocardial infarction in young women (203 cases and 628 controls) in collaboration with the group of prof.dr. F.R. Rosendaal, head of the department Clinical Epidemiology at the LUMC. (1b) A similar case control study (560 myocardial infarction patients and 646 controls) in older men, has started in November 2008 in collaboration with the same investigators.
(2) Cohort study on the relation between blood cell count and incidence of coronary heart disease and stroke in a cohort study of 9,152 volunteers (submitted) in collaboration dr. H.B. Bueno de Mesquita, principal investigator at the RIVM-CVG. This collaboration will further continue on markers of platelet activation and cardiovascular disease.
(3) Cohort study of 1200 haemodialysis patients on platelet markers in pre and post dialysis plasma samples and incidence of cardiovascular disease, in collaboration with dr. E.W. Boeschoten, managing director of the Hans Mak Institute, Naarden.
(4) Collaborative studies with clinical research groups, including (4a) dr. J. Beutler, Internist-Nephrologist at the JBZ, Den Bosch. (4b) dr. B. van Jaarsveld, Internist-Nephrologist, VUMC Amsterdam, (4c) dr. F. Visseren, Internist, UMC Utrecht, (4d) prof.dr. R. Bertina LUMC, Leiden (4e) prof.dr. H.W. Bruinse, Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMC Utrecht, (4f) drs D. de Vries, heelkunde LUMC, (4g) dr. F.W.G. Leebeek, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam and (4h) Dr. Schutgens, DIGD, UMC Utrecht.