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An improved heparin assay which is insensitive to platelet factor 4
1Department for Blood Coagulation, Research Laboratories of Behringwerke AG, Marburg, FRG.
Folia Haematologica (Leipzig, Germany : 1928)
|January 1, 1989
Summary
A novel reagent simplifies heparin measurement in plasma by quantifying bound heparin, eliminating the need for sample pretreatment. This method accurately determines heparin levels in citrate-anticoagulated samples, even after freezing.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Chemistry
- Hematology
Background:
- Accurate heparin quantification is crucial for patient safety and treatment efficacy.
- Existing methods for heparin determination often require complex sample handling to prevent artifactual results.
- Heparin's interaction with platelet factor 4 complicates standard assays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a new, user-friendly reagent for determining heparin levels in plasma.
- To enable heparin measurement in routinely collected samples without special pretreatment.
- To validate the assay's applicability to various sample types and conditions, including low molecular weight heparin.
Main Methods:
- Development of a novel reagent that measures heparin bound to platelet factor 4.
- Assay principle based on heparin-catalyzed inactivation of Factor Xa by Antithrombin III.
- Utilized polysulfated dextran to release bound heparin from plasma proteins.
Main Results:
- The new reagent measures both free and platelet factor 4-bound heparin.
- Samples anticoagulated with citrate can be used without special processing.
- The assay is not affected by sample freezing and can quantify low molecular weight heparin.
Conclusions:
- A new reagent offers a simplified and robust method for plasma heparin determination.
- The assay overcomes limitations of previous methods by measuring bound heparin and allowing flexible sample handling.
- This advancement facilitates routine heparin monitoring in clinical settings.