Driven by emergency department targets, there is a need for rapid initial assessment and investigations of attendees to the department, and blood tests are often performed before full patient assessment. It has been shown that many investigations ordered in the emergency department are inappropriate. Coagulation samples are acknowledged as one the commonest blood samples requested on admission....

Bleeding is a common problem in major trauma. Coagulopathy could be detected in approximately 25% of all trauma patients on arrival in the emergency room. The reasons for that are blood loss, dilution of the remaining coagulation factors by fluids not containing coagulation factors, consumption of coagulation factors and hyperfibrinolysis. Hypothermia and acidosis are also well described contri...

Coagulation is a complex physiological balancing mechanism that maintains haemostasis when blood vessels are injured. A hypercoaguable state as seen in early sepsis, cancer or pregnancy can cause arterial and/or venous obstruction with disruption of blood-flow and end organ damage. Similarly a hypocoaguable state can cause catastrophic haemorrhage and lead to death. Up to 20% of all blood trans...

OBJECTIVES Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is increasingly being given to treat massive bleeding. However, there is no clear guidance on which patients are suitable for treatment and how the effects of treatment should be monitored. The aim of this in vitro study was to assess the coagulation status of severely hemodiluted blood samples before and after treatment with therapeutic dose...

In this prospective study, antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha 2 antiplasmin which are synthetised by the liver were measured and compared with the Normotest, Thrombotest and fibrinogen concentrations in 92 consecutive jaundiced patients. Antithrombin III appeared to be the most discriminant coagulation test in differentiating hepatocellular from cholestatic jaundice. A high correlation was...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To compare the accuracy of three coagulation tests (prothrombin time [PT], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], and fibrinogen [FBG]) performed on blood samples collected through heparinized tunneled venous access devices (TVADs) with those from venipuncture. DESIGN Descriptive comparative with patients serving as their own controls. SETTING Pediatric comprehensi...

The conventional plasma recalcification test is improved by incubation of test plasma with Celite suspended in distilled water. This effectively activates factor XII and releases platelet factor 3, thereby markedly shortening the clotting time. The modified plasma recalcification test has several advantages that contribute to its usefulness as a general screening test for coagulation abnormalit...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Major burn surgery causes large hemorrhage and coagulation dysfunction. Treatment algorithms guided by ROTEM® and factor VIIa reduce the need for blood products, but there is no evidence regarding factor XIII. Factor XIII deficiency changes clot stability and decreases wound healing. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of factor XIII correction and its repercu...

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of preoperative aspirin and/or intravenous heparin therapy on perioperative coagulation tests and postoperative blood loss for 24-hour after coronary artery bypass surgery. METHODS Multiple conventional coagulation tests, activated clotting time, thrombelastograph, skin bleeding time and platelet aggregation were performed before induction of anaesthesia, follo...