BACKGROUND There is no consensus on the management of anticoagulation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO is currently burdened by a high rate of hemostatic complications, possibly associated with inadequate monitoring of heparin anticoagulation. This study aims to assess the safety and feasibility of an anticoagulation protocol for patients undergoing ECMO based on thromboe...

Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are common laboratory tests that are useful in the diagnosis of coagulation disorders and monitoring anticoagulant therapy. Recent expansions in the outreach laboratory services at our institution prompted us to investigate the shipping limitations for some tests, including PT and aPTT. Although we followed NCCLS guidelines ...

INTRODUCTION The anticoagulant effect of unfractionated heparin (UFH) is usually monitored by means of the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). In critically ill patients, however, increased levels of acute phase proteins may decrease the accuracy of the aPTT, leading to inadequate UFH dosing. In these circumstances, the anti-Xa assay is recommended for monitoring. OBJECTIVE We aimed...

AIMS To evaluate the relationship between activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and clinical outcomes in the Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO-V) trial comparing standard-dose reteplase to half-dose reteplase and abciximab. METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed data on 11,420 patients receiving unfractionated heparin. Peak aPTT levels recorded during the hosp...

BACKGROUND In patients receiving heparin infusions, variations in specimen collection technique may contribute to inaccurate measurements of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). OBJECTIVES To determine if there is a difference in aPTT results between specimens collected from a central venous access device (CVAD) compared with venipuncture in patients receiving heparin infusions. ME...

AIMS To examine the sensitivity and specificity to past thrombotic events of four different coagulation tests, which screen for lupus anticoagulant (LA), and of anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS Fifty three consecutive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were studied of whom three males and 21 females, aged 21-60 years, had a history of v...

BACKGROUND After kidney transplantation, a renal biopsy may be needed to elucidate the reasons for lack of graft function. If the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is prolonged, the biopsy will often be postponed, as increased risk of bleeding must be expected. However, aPTT prolongation is not always due to lack of coagulation factors, but can be due to the presence of lupus anticoa...

The goal of heparin therapy in deep vein thrombosis is to prevent thrombus extension. The relationship between thrombus extension and the results of coagulation tests used to monitor heparin therapy is unclear. To explore this relationship, we studied the effect of several heparin regimens on the accretion of indium-111-labeled platelets on fresh venous thrombi, as detected by gamma imaging, an...