During medical emergencies, when decisions must be made quickly, knowing how blood thinners are affecting a person’s ability to clot can be lifesaving. To help in these urgent moments, a group of researchers studied a new, small, portable device that can measure how blood-thinning medications are working in the body. Their goal was to find out if this tool could quickly and accurately check blood clotting right at the patient’s bedside, especially when lab tests, which are more time-consuming and require special equipment, are too slow or unavailable.
Researchers Dr. Sasha Bakhru, Dr. Xuan Jiang, Dr. Lirong Chen, Dardan Osmani, Kelly Kronen, Daryl Mootoo, and Stefan Zappe from Perosphere Technologies Inc., led by Professor Jack Ansell from Hofstra Northwell Zucker School of Medicine, carried out a study to confirm how well the new handheld device works. Their findings, which appeared in the respected science journal Scientific Reports, focused on how precise, accurate, and consistent the device is when compared to an older manual method, which involves physically manipulating blood samples.
Testing showed that the new handheld instrument can detect changes in how blood clots much more easily than the older manual method. It also gives results much faster (3-8 minutes), cutting the waiting time in half. The assay is more responsive, where even small shifts in the amount of blood thinner in the body can be detected. Measurements were are accurate and precise, allowing doctors to make important decisions about how to manage a patient on a blood thinner.
Professor Ansell pointed out that this device could be very helpful in real-world situations like serious bleeding, emergency surgeries, stroke, or when there’s concern a patient is not responding to their medicine. “The Perosphere Technologies handheld coagulometer, which is an instrument that measures how long it takes for blood to clot, was more responsive to every blood thinner we tested than the traditional method,” said Professor Ansell. “It gave quicker results and was better at detecting the effects of the medication.”
Professor Ansell’s team also found that the tool provided consistent results for a wide range of blood thinners. They tested it with several commonly used medications—apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban, and dabigatran, which are modern blood thinners often used to prevent strokes and treat clots—as well as with a commonly used injectable thinner called enoxaparin, a low molecular weight version of heparin often given in hospitals. The device provided results even at the lowest levels of these drugs. It showed a steady, predictable pattern: higher drug levels caused longer clotting times. “This handheld test helps identify when drug levels reach important points that can guide treatment decisions, which is especially valuable during emergencies,” said Professor Ansell.
Unlike traditional methods that involve chemicals and can take longer, the new device uses built-in sensors and microfluidics—tiny channels that control fluid flow—to test the blood quickly and with minimal effort. The older way relies heavily on a person watching and timing how blood clots, which can lead to errors. In contrast, this new system is automatic and easier to use, making it more practical for doctors and nurses at the bedside.
Today, this handheld coagulometer shows strong potential as a quick and reliable way to measure how blood-thinning medications are working. It avoids the downsides of older testing methods and gives a clearer picture of a patient’s blood clotting in critical care situations where measurements can be informative. With more studies already in progress, this tool may soon change how hospitals and clinics handle urgent cases involving blood thinners.
Journal Reference
Bakhru S.H., Jiang X., Chen L., Osmani D., Kronen K., Mootoo D., Zappe S., Ansell J. “Validation of a whole blood coagulometer sensitive to the direct oral anticoagulants.” Scientific Reports, 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92201-7
