COMPARISON OF A NEW AUTOMATED KINETICALLY DETERMINED FIBRINOGEN ASSAYWITH THE 3 MOST USED FIBRINOGEN ASSAYS (FUNCTIONAL, DERIVED AND NEPHELOMETRIC) IN AUSTRIAN LABORATORIES IN SEVERAL CLINICAL POPULATIONS ANDHEALTHY CONTROLS

A new automated kinetically determined fibrinogen assay was measured i n plasmas of healthy subjects and three clinical cohorts (acute-phase reaction, liver cirrhosis and fibrinolytic therapy) that were expected to show normal, high and low levels of fibrinogen. The results were c ompared with the results of fibrinogen measurement using the derived m ethod, the method according to Clauss and an immunological-nephelometr ic method. Altogether, the best correlation was achieved between the k inetic and the derived method. However, results from the derived metho d were generally higher than values obtained through the kinetic metho d. This was particularly true for high concentration levels above 400 mg/dl (patients with acute phase reaction) as well as for plasmas cont aining fibrin(ogen) degradation products and low concentrations of fib rinogen (below 150 mg/dl). Fibrinogen determinations in several commer cial plasma pools with declared fibrinogen levels show remarkable hete rogeneity when different methods were applied. To improve the discernm ent of fibrinogen determinations we suggest adjustment of standard pre parations to international reference materials and the specification o f the method used. Furthermore the attending physician is asked to cas t a critical eye on fibrinogen values with regard to the used method o f determination.