[Simple method for controlling anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists during heparin therapy: rapid determination...

ECTEOLA cellulose anion exchanger is known to remove heparin from citrated plasma without affecting the coagulation factors involved in the prothrombin time. For monitoring of simultaneous anticoagulation with oral anticoagulants and high dose heparin, Branson et al. have therefore proposed eliminating heparin from plasma by column chromatography prior to testing. To avoid this cumbersome procedure a simple test-tube absorption technique is presented which allows determination of prothrombin time in these patients with clinically sufficient accuracy.