Microfluidic system for a label-free, real-time functional assessment of thrombotic risk

High incidence of thrombotic diseases worldwide, together with the variability of patients’ response to antiplatelet drugs, makes the management of antithrombotic regimes of paramount importance. Platelet function testing is the most promising tool in addressing this clinical need. Here we present the first prototype of a microfluidic system for rapid, label-free, real-time functional assessment of the thrombotic risk of patients undergoing antiplatelet treatment. Our platform allows to monitor pressure drop variations on a collagen-coated microchannel under a range of blood flow conditions, and to relate these measurements to thrombus formation and ultimately to platelet functionality. The preliminary testing campaign presented in this work demonstrated the feasibility of our approach and allowed us to determine the most suitable working range of the current system.