Chromogenic Substrates in Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Assays

Chromogenic methods in coagulation diagnostics.

Chromogenic peptide substrates were developed more than 30 years ago. Although the use of chromogenic substrate methods in coagulation and fibrinolysis diagnostics was not as rapidly implemented as initially believed, they are now well established for several analytes such as antithrombin, FVIII, protein C, plasminogen, plasmin inhibitor, heparins, and pentasaccharides. The advent of direct thr...

Coagulation assays.

Case 1: Mr F, a 75-year-old man with diabetes, was admitted with non–ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome. In addition to other medications, he is receiving 1 mg/kg enoxaparin every 12 hours. He is scheduled for cardiac catheterization later in the afternoon. Earlier this morning, his activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was 30 seconds. How should his anticoagulants be managed? ...

Clinical Application of Fibrinolytic Assays

Coagulation and fibrinolytic activity of cerebrospinal fluid.

Fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products (fragments D and E) were detected in cerebrospinal fluid in 23.4% of 252 patients admitted to a neurological/neurosurgical unit. Other coagulation proteins of low molecular weight (plasminogen and factor IX) were also present but larger proteins (fibrinogen and factor V) were not. These findings are consistent with protein leakage across a blood-CSF barrie...

Adrenergic, coagulation, and fibrinolytic responses to heat.

Two groups of volunteers were exposed to heat in a sauna bath-one group for 10 minutes and the other for 15. There was no change in plasma adrenaline concentration until the subjects emerged from the sauna bath, when there was a slight increase in concentration. Factor VIII and thrombo-elastograph patterns did not change but marked activation of fibrinolysis was stimulated by exposure to heat. ...