PharmGKB Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia Pathway published

A PharmGKB pathway of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) has been published in Pharmacogenetics and Genomics.

Heparin is a commonly used anticoagulant. The pathway, written by Elise Miller along with other members of the Karnes lab at the University of Arizona as well as members of the PharmGKB team, outlines the atypical immune response which can occur in some patients receiving heparin. HIT can have a mortality rate of up to 30% and shares some similarities with COVID-19 while patients with COVID-19 have been found to be at an increased risk of HIT. Pharmacogenomics research has identified some candidate biomarkers, particularly in immune system receptors, which may affect a patient’s risk of experiencing HIT, however further work is needed to validate these and discover other candidates.

An interactive version of the pathway can be found on the PharmGKB website.