Use of EDTA samples for prothrombin time measurement in patients receiving oral anticoagulants.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Oral anticoagulant therapy is commonly called for in health care. Hitherto sampling for prothrombin time (PT) has been measured on blood collected into a coagulation tube and diluted in citrate solution. Blood samples anticoagulated with EDTA are used for hematologic tests and the same sample could also be available for PT. DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 107 patients on oral anticoagulant therapy. Samples were taken by from both coagulation tubes (citrate) and EDTA tubes. The PT from both samples was measured with an ACL 7000 analyzer and reported in seconds and as an international normalized ratio (INR). The regression equation between citrate and EDTA samples was calculated in both units. We studied the clinical significance of INR results from both sample types and compared the effect of different combined thromboplastin reagents on the correlation equation between citrate and EDTA samples. RESULTS The regression equation for PT by Owren's PT reagent from citrate (y) and EDTA (x) plasma was y = 1.11 x -0.24 INR, R(2)= 0.99. We observed no clinically significant difference between INR results from citrate and EDTA samples using the regression equation for INR calculation from EDTA samples. ISI depends on sample type (dilution, anticoagulant) and the difference is 0.117, 10%. We calculated ISI for EDTA samples and no clinically significant difference was seen between citrate and EDTA INR results. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS A good correlation was observed between INR results with citrate and EDTA samples from patients receiving oral anticoagulants using Owren's PT reagent with the same citrate calibration. Using the regression equation (INR or sec) for analysis of INR results from EDTA samples is clinically acceptable and offers the possibility of using EDTA samples for PT measurement with citrate calibrators. Reagent international sensitivity index (ISI) values for citrate and EDTA samples differ from each other. ISI determination for EDTA samples requires mathematical calculation of EDTA ISI as in the present study or EDTA-based ISI calibrators. The regression equation for INR from citrate and EDTA samples depended on the reagent used, not only on sample dilution or anticoagulant.