A collaborative calibration study of reference materials for thromboplastins

In a collaborative study of ten laboratories performed mainly within the framework of the BCR (the European Community Bureau of Reference), five thromboplastins were calibrated against the WHO (World Health Organisation) primary international reference preparation 67/40. Of these five thromboplastins, three were BCR reference materials (BCT/099, OBT/79 and RBT/79) and two were WHO secondary international reference preparations (68/434 and 70/178). Human brain tissue type is represented by 67/40 and BCT/099; bovine type by 68/434 and OBT/79, and rabbit type by 70/178 and RBT/79. The calibration relations are expressed in terms of a linear relationship between the logarithms of the prothrombin times, measured in seconds.