A novel agglutination test for antigen-specific detection of platelet antibodies.

A simple and rapid antigen-specific assay for the identification antibodies to platelets is lacking, yet. Red-dyed polystyrene microbeads were coated with monoclonal antibodies to various platelet glycoprotein complexes, and used for the detection of platelet autoantibodies and alloantibodies. The results were largely identical with those obtained by monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigen assay (MAIPA). The new test is reliable yet less complex and time-consuming than the currently available assays, and it can be implemented in any routine laboratory.