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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Sep 3.
Published in final edited form as: Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2013;2013:668–674. doi: 10.1182/asheducation-2013.1.668

Table 2.

HIT expert probability (HEP) score

Clinical feature Score
1. Magnitude of fall in platelet count (measured from peak platelet count to nadir platelet count since heparin exposure)
 a. < 30% −1
 b. 30%–50% 1
 c. > 50% 3
2. Timing of fall in platelet count
For patients in whom typical onset HIT is suspected
  a. Fall begins < 4 days after heparin exposure 0
  b. Fall begins 4 days after heparin exposure 2
  c. Fall begins 5–10 days after heparin exposure 3
  d. Fall begins 11–14 days after heparin exposure 2
  e. Fall begins > 14 days after heparin exposure −1
For patients with previous heparin exposure in last 100 days in whom rapid onset HIT is suspected
  f. Fall begins < 48 h after heparin re-exposure 2
  g. Fall begins > 48 h after heparin re-exposure −1
3. Nadir platelet count
 a. ≤ 20 × 109 L−1 −2
 b. > 20 × 109 L−1 2
4. Thrombosis (Select no more than one)
For patients in whom typical onset HIT is suspected
  a. New VTE or ATE ≥ 4 days after heparin exposure 3
  b. Progression of pre-existing VTE or ATE while receiving heparin 2
For patients in whom rapid onset HIT is suspected
  c. New VTE or ATE after heparin exposure 3
  d. Progression of pre-existing VTE or ATE while receiving heparin 2
5. Skin necrosis
 a. Skin necrosis at subcutaneous heparin injection sites 3
6. Acute systemic reaction
 a. Acute systemic reaction after intravenous heparin bolus 2
7. Bleeding
 a. Presence of bleeding, petechiae or extensive bruising −1
8. Other causes of thrombocytopenia (Select all that apply)
 a. Presence of a chronic thrombocytopenic disorder −1
 b. Newly initiated non-heparin medication known to cause thrombocytopenia −2
 c. Severe infection −2
 d. Severe DIC (defined as fibrinogen < 100 mg dL−1 and D-dimer > 5.0 μg mL−1) −2
 e. Indwelling intra-arterial device (e.g. IABP, VAD, ECMO) −2
 f. Cardiopulmonary bypass within previous 96 h −1
 g. No other apparent cause 3

VTE, venous thromboembolism; ATE, arterial thromboembolism; DIC, disseminated intravascular coagulation; IABP, intra-aortic balloon pump; VAD, ventricular assist device; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.