EVALUATION OF BEDSIDE PROTHROMBIN TIME AND ACTIVATED PARTIAL THROMBOPLASTIN TIME MEASUREMENT BY COAGULATION ANALYZER COAGUCHEK PLUS(R) IN VARIOUS CLINICAL SETTINGS

In the present study CoaguChek Plus((R)) (CCP(R)), a coagulation test system using whole blood, was evaluated with respect to its comparabil ity with widely distributed conventional routine coagulation assays. A correlation of r=0.997 (p<0.0001) was found between INR of CCP(R)-pro thrombin time (CCP(R)-PT) and Thrombotest((R)) (KC-I analyzer) in pati ents on oral anticoagulant therapy. A correlation of r=0.899 (p<0.001) between CCP(R)-aPTT and Actin FS(R) aPTT (STA analyzer) was found in heparinized patients. Impaired hepatic coagulation factor synthesis in liver cirrhosis patients was detected by CCP(R)-PT with a sensitivity of 0.75 and by Normotest((R)) (STA analyzer) with a sensitivity of 0. 92. Those patients with normal CCP(R)-PT values and liver disease had, only mild reductions (> 30% of normals) in coagulation factors II, V, Vn. or X. CCP(R)-aPTT was also performed in patients with a deficienc y in the so called endogenous coagulation factors VIII, IX, XI and XII . CCP(R)-aPTT showed a sensitivity similar to that of Actin FS(R) aPTT in the detection even of mild deficiencies in factors VIII, IX and XI I; factor XI deficiency was however detected only in patients with sev ere (<12% of normals) disease; lupus anticoagulants were detected with a high sensitivity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.