Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.11613/BM.2019.030706

Rapid serum tube technology overcomes problems associated with use of anticoagulants

Kong-Nan Zhao ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
Goce Dimeski ; Chemical Pathology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia
John de Jersey ; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Lambro A Johnson ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
Michael Grant ; Q-Sera Pty Ltd, Level 9,31 Queen St, Melbourne, Australia
Paul P Masci ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
Martin F Lavin ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia

Abstract

Introduction: Failure to obtain complete blood clotting in serum is a common laboratory problem. Our aim was to determine whether snake prothrombin
activators are effective in clotting blood and producing quality serum for analyte measurement in anticoagulated patients.
Materials and methods: Whole blood clotting was studied in a total of 64 blood samples (41 controls, 20 Warfarin patients, 3 anticoagulated patients
using snake venom prothrombin activator (OsPA)) with plain tubes. Coagulation was analysed using a visual assay, Hyland-Clotek and thromboelastography.
Healthy control blood was spiked with a range of anticoagulants to determine the effectiveness of OsPa-induced clotting. A paired
analysis of a Dabigatran patient and a control investigated the effectiveness of the OsPA clotting tubes. Biochemical analytes (N = 31) were determined
for 7 samples on chemistry and immunoassay analysers and compared with commercial tubes.
Results: Snake venom prothrombin activators efficiently coagulated blood and plasma spiked with heparin and commonly used anticoagulants.
Clotting was observed in the presence of anticoagulants whereas no clotting was observed in BDRST tubes containing 3 U/mL of heparin. Snake venom
prothrombin activator enhanced heparinised blood clotting by shortening substantially the clotting time and improving significantly the strength
of the clot. Comparison of 31 analytes from the blood of five healthy and two anticoagulated participants gave very good agreement between
the analyte concentrations determined.
Conclusions: Our results showed that the snake venom prothrombin activators OsPA and PtPA efficiently coagulated recalcified and fresh bloods
with or without added anticoagulants. These procoagulants produced high quality serum for accurate analyte measurement.

Keywords

prothrombin activators; serum; anticoagulants; analytes

Hrčak ID:

226451

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/226451

Publication date:

15.10.2019.

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