Download PDF
Thromb Haemost 1996; 76(01): 001-004
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1650511
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Venous Thrombosis and the “Wessler Test”

Duncan P Thomas
The University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 09 January 1996

Accepted after revision20 March 1996

Publication Date:
10 July 2018 (online)

Also available at
  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Summary

The Wessler test in animals has been used extensively for over 40 years as a laboratory measure of in vivo hypercoagulability. The test, in which induced hypercoagulability is combined with local venous stasis, has contributed significantly to our understanding of the pathogenesis of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. In addition, the Wessler test has proved invaluable for assessing the thrombogenicity of various blood products, as well as for assaying the effectiveness of heparin and heparin fractions.

 

  • References

  • 1 Wessler S. Studies in intravascular coagulation. 1. Coagulation changes in isolated venous segments. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1952; 31: 1011-1014
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Wessler S. Studies in intravascular coagulation. II. A comparison of the effect of dicumarol and heparin on clot formation is isolated venous segments. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1953; 32: 650-654
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Wessler S. Studies in intravascular coagulation. III. The pathogenesis of serum-induced venous thrombosis. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1955; 34: 647-651
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Wessler S, Reiner L, Freiman DG, Reimer SM, Lertzman M. Serum induced thrombosis. Studies of its induction and evolution under controlled conditions in vivo Circulation 1959; 20: 864-874
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Wessler S, Reimer SM, Sheps MC. Biological assay of a thrombosis-inducing activity in human serum. Journal of Applied Physiology 1959; 14: 943-946
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Wessler S, Morris LE. Studies in intravascular coagulation. IV. The effect of heparin and dicumarol on serum-induced venous thrombosis. Circulation 1955; 12: 553-556
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Wessler S. Thrombosis in the presence of vascular stasis. American Journal of Medicine 1962; 33: 648-666
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Hewson W. An experimental inquiry into the properties of the blood. London: Cadell 1771. 20
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Lister J. The Croonian Lecture on the Coagulation of the Blood. Lancet 1863; 2: 149
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Hayem G. L’Hematoblaste. 1923, Les Presses Universitaires de France, Paris 120
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Feissly R. La stabilite du fibrinogene in vivo. Compt rendu Soc Biol 1925; 92: 319
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Gitel SN, Stephenson RC, Wessler S. In vitro and in vivo correlation of clotting protease activity: effect of heparin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 1977 74. 3028-3032
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Ratnoff OD, Crum JD. Activation of Hageman factor by solutions of ellagic acid. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 1963; 62: 1006-1007
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Reimer SM, Thomas DP. The role of factors XII, XI and IX in serum and plasma-induced thrombosis. American Journal of Physiology 1963; 205: 1265-1269
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Thomas DP, Wessler S. Stasis thrombosis induced by bacterial endotoxin. Circulation 1963; 27: 339-345
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Deykin D. The role of the liver in serum-induced hypercoagulability. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1963; 45: 256-260
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Thomas DP, Merton RE, Lewis WE, Barrowcliffe TW. Studies in man and experimental animals of a low molecular weight heparin fraction. Thromb Haemost 1981; 45: 214-218
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Carter CJ, Kelton JG, Hirsh J, Cerskus AL, Santos AV, Gent M. The relationship between the hemorrhagic and antithrombotic properties of low molecular weight heparins and heparin. Blood 1982; 59: 1239-1245
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Boneu B, Buchanan MR, Cade JF, Van Ryn J, Fernandez FA, Ofosu FA, Hirsh J. Effects of heparin, its low molecular weight fractions and other gly-cosaminoglycans on thrombus growth in vivo. Thrombosis Research 1985; 40: 81-89
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Van Ryn-McKenna J, Gray E, Weber E, Ofosu FA, Buchanan MR. Effects of sulphated polysaccharides on inhibition of thrombus formation initiated by different stimuli. Thromb Haemost 1989; 61: 7-9
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Brill-Edwards P, van Ryn-McKenna J, Cai L, Ofosu FA, Buchanan MR. Prevention of thrombus growth by antithrombin Ill-dependent and two direct thrombin inhibitors in rabbits: implications for antithrombotic therapy. Thromb Haemost 1992; 68: 424-427
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Virchow R. Cellular Pathology. 1860 London, John Churchill
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 McLachlin J, Paterson JC. Some basic observations on venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics 1951; 93: 1
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Sevitt S. Pathology and pathogenesis of deep vein thrombi. In: Venous Problems Bergan JJ, Yao JST. (eds) Year Book Chicago; 1968: 257-279
  • 25 Hume M, Sevitt S, Thomas DP. Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Cambridge, Harvard University Press 1970
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Sevitt S. The structure and growth of valve-pocket thrombi in femoral veins. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1974; 27: 517-528
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Busch PC, Owen WG. Interaction of thrombin with endothelium. In: Pathobiology of the endothelial cell. Nossel HL, Vogel HJ (eds) 1982 New York; Academic Press: 97
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Dahlback B, Stenflo J. A natural anticoagulant pathway: proteins C, S, C4b-binding protein and thrombomodulin. In: Thromb Haemost. Bloom AL, Forbes, CD, Thomas, DP & Tuddenham, EGD. eds. 3rd. Ed. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh 1994: 671-698
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 29 Broze GJ. The tissue factor pathway of coagulation: factor VII, tissue factor and tissue factor pathway inhibitor. In: Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Bloom, AL, Forbes, CD,Thomas, DP & Tuddenham, EDG. 3rd. Eds. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone 1994: 349-377
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 30 Rapaport SI, Rao VM. The Tissue Factor pathway: how it became a prima ballerina. Thromb Haemost 1995; 74: 7-17
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 31 Merton RE, Hockley Gray E, Poole S, Thomas DP. The effect of interleukin-1 on venous endothelium - an ultrastructural study. Thromb Haemost 1991; 66: 725-729
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 32 The DVTENOX study group. Markers of hemostatic system activation in acute deep venous thrombosis - evolution during the first days of heparin treatment. Thromb Haemost 1993 70. 909-914
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 33 Bounameaux H, de Moerloose P, Perrier A, Reber G. Plasma measurement of D-dimer as diagnostic aid in suspected venous thromboembolism: an overview. Thromb Haemost 1994; 71: 1-6
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 34 Mannucci PM, Bauer KA, Gringeri A, Bazegar S, Santagostino E, Tradati FC, Rosenberg RD. Thrombin generation is not increased in the blood of hemophilia B patients after the infusion of a purified factor IX concentrate. Blood 1990; 76: 606-611
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 35 Thomas DP. Venous thrombogenesis. British Medical Bulletin 1994; 50: 803-812
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 36 Wessler S, Freiman DG, Ballon SD, Katz JH, Wolff R, Wolf E. Experimental pulmonary embolism with serum-induced thrombi. American Journal of Pathology 1961; 38: 89-101
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 37 Freiman DG, Wessler S, Lertzman M. Experimental pulmonary embolism with serum-induced thrombi aged in vivo. American Journal of Pathology 1961; 39: 95-102
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 38 Thomas DP, Stein M, Tanabe G, Rege V, Wessler S. Mechanism of bron-choconstriction produced by thromboemboli in dogs. American Journal of Physiology 1964; 206: 1207-1212
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 39 Levy SE, Stein M, Totten RS, Bruderman I, Wessler S, Robin ED. Ventila-tion-perfusion abnormalities in experimental pulmonary embolism. Journal of Clinical Investigation 1965; 44: 1699-1707
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 40 Stein M, Thomas DP. The role of platelets in the acute pulmonary response to endotoxin. Journal of Applied Physiology 1967; 23: 47-52
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 41 Thomas DP, Gurewich V, Stuart RK. Epinephrine potentiation of platelet aggregation: its effect on mortality from experimental pulmonary embolism. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 1968; 71: 955-963
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 42 Gurewich V, Cohen M, Thomas DP. Humoral factors in massive pulmonary embolism: an experimental study. American Heart Journal 1968; 76: 784-794
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 43 Wessler S, Gitel SN, Bank H, Martinowitz U, Stephenson RC. An assay of the antithrombotic action of warfarin: its correlation with the inhibition of stasis thrombosis in rabbits. Thromb Haemost 1978; 40: 486-498
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 44 Gitel SN, Wessler S. The antithrombotic effects of warfarin and heparin following infusion of tissue thromboplastin in rabbits: clinical implications. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 1979; 94: 481-488
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 45 Gitel SN, Wessler S. Dose-dependent antithrombotic effect of warfarin in rabbits. Blood 1983; 61: 435-438
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 46 Thomas DP, Merton RE, Barrowcliffe TW, Thunberg L, Lindahl U. Effects of heparin oligosaccharides with high affinity for antithrombin III. Thromb Haemost 1982; 47: 244-248
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 47 Merton RE, Thomas DP, Havercroft SJ, Barrowcliffe TW, Lindahl U. High and low affinity heparin compared with unfractionated heparin as antithrombotic drugs. Thromb Haemost 1984; 51: 254-256
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 48 Barrowcliffe TW, Johnson EA, Thomas DP. Low molecular weight heparin. Chichester & New York: John Wiley 1991
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 49 Thomas DP, Merton RE, Barrowcliffe TW. Anticoagulant activity of heparin and heparin fragments. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1989; 556: 132-145
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 50 Lusher JM. Thrombogenicity associated with factor IX concentrates. Seminars in Hematology 1991; 28: 3-5
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 51 McLaughlin LF, Drummond O, MacGregor IR. Thrombogenicity of factor IX concentrates. Hemophilia 1995; 1 (Suppl. 03) suppl 16-18
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 52 Ferranti TJ, Misra BR, Schaub RG, Keith JC. Recombinant human factor IX has low thrombogenicity in the Wessler stasis model. Thromb Haemost 1995; 73: 1014
    PubMedGoogle Scholar