Unexpectedly elevated INR values are commonly encountered in clinical practice. In the absence of bleeding, such values may be treated with either simple warfarin withdrawal or the administration of low doses of oral vitamin K. Oral vitamin K will more rapidly return the INR to the therapeutic reference interval; however, its impact on bleeding is unknown. If the INR is in excess of 10, most ex...

A simple approach to the evaluation of blood coagulation using a microfluidic paper-based lateral flow assay (LFA) device for point-of-care (POC) and self-monitoring screening is reported. The device utilizes whole blood, without the need for prior separation of plasma from red blood cells (RBC). Experiments were performed using animal (rabbit) blood treated with trisodium citrate to prevent co...

Approach: Literature review of the multifaceted interactions between platelets, coagulation and cancer. Results: Over the years, the links existing between cancer development, progression and occurrence of metastasis on one side and coagulation on the other have become obvious. Tumors seems to activate platelets whereas, platelets, on the other hand, through their capacity to activate and relea...

OBJECTIVE To assess hematological and biochemical features of splenic effluent blood and their influence on the rise of hematological values after splenectomy. METHODS we studied 20 patients undergoing surgical treatment for schistosomatic portal hypertension. We collected blood samples for CBC, coagulation, bilirubin and albumin in the splenic vein (perioperative) and peripheral blood (immed...

Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis have significantly impaired synthetic function. Many proteins involved in the coagulation process are synthesized in the liver. Routinely performed tests of the coagulation are abnormal in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. This has led to the widespread belief that decompensated liver cirrhosis is prototype of acquired hemorrhagic coagulopa...

MASSIVE hemorrhage originates from severe injury of blood vessels caused by major trauma, surgery, underlying medical conditions, or any combination thereof. If not diagnosed and treated readily, patients exsanguinate and die from hypovolemic shock. In this issue of ANESTHESIOLOGY, Bolliger et al. review the mechanisms of coagulopathy in massive hemorrhage with a special emphasis on the hemodil...

In this study, we describe a novel thrombomodulin (TM) mutation (c.1611C>A) that codes for a change from cysteine 537 to a premature stop codon (p.Cys537Stop). Three members of a family with a history of posttraumatic bleeding were identified to be heterozygous for this TM mutation. All coagulation screening tests, coagulation factor assays, and platelet function test results were within normal...

ECENT ADVANCES in our knowledge commcerniisg the formatiomi amid dissolution of clots has emphasized the importanice of in vitro coagulation studies imi diagnosis and treatment. These studies geiserally involve one basic observatioms, i.e., the time necessary for the formation or dissolution of a visible clot. Technics based on this observation give no information about the quality of the clot,...

Clinical coagulation diagnostics often requires multiple tests. Coagulation times are a first indication of an abnormal coagulation process, such as a coagulation factor deficiency. To determine the specific deficient factor, additional immuno- and/or enzyme assays are necessary. Currently, every clinical laboratory has to normalize their assays (international normalized ratio, INR), and theref...

BACKGROUND High levels of blood lipids have been associated with high levels of coagulation factors. We investigated whether blood lipids influence the results of global coagulation tests, including prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and thrombin generation assay (TGA). METHODS PT, aPTT, and TGA, along with procoagulant and anticoagulant factors, were measure...