A simple and rapid laboratory method for determination of haemostasis potential in plasma II. Modifications for use in routine laboratories and research work

To offer a suitable method for use in routine laboratories and research wor k, some modifications were made in the assay of overall haemostatsis potent ial (OHP) we developed earlier. Thrombin in a decreased dose with or withou t tissue-type plasminogen activator was added to plasma for initiation of f ibrinogen clotting. Areas under two fibrin-aggregation curves i.e., above-m entioned OHP and overall coagulation potential (OCP) were thus created. A d ifference between the two parameters reflects the overall fibrinolysis pote ntial (OFP), calculated by ((OCP - OHP)/OCP) x 100%. To obtain reference ra nges, investigations were performed in 142 healthy adults of different ages and in 29 healthy women with a normal pregnancy. In 16 patients suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD), OCPs and OHPs increased but OFPs decreas ed. In 10 pre-eclamptic women with moderate enhancement of OCP, the OHPs be came noticeably higher in most while the OFPs lower. Extremely low or undet ectable levels of OHP and OCP were shown in samples of Factors VIII-, IV, V II-, V-, V or II-deficient plasma. In 13 healthy volunteers treated with ac etylsalicylic acid (ASA), OHPs expectedly declined during the administratio n and rose again after withdrawal. The above findings demonstrate that the modifications in the present study have rendered the method more effective for detecting haemostatic changes and relevant for monitoring treatments. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.