[Condition setting for the measurement of blood coagulation factor XIII activity using a fully automated blood coagulation analyzer, COAGTRON-350].

ABSTRACT

The automated laboratory analyzer COAGTRON-350 (Trinity Biotech) is used for routine and specific coagulation testing for the detection of fibrin formation utilizing either mechanical principles (ball method) or photo-optical principles, chromogenic kinetic enzyme analysis, and immune-turbidimetric detection systems in one benchtop unit. In this study, we demonstrated and established a parameter for the measurement of factor XIII (FXIII) activity using Berichrom FXIII reagent and the COAGTRON-350 analyzer. The usual protocol used for this reagent, based on the handling method, was slightly modified for this device. The analysis showed that fundamental study for the measurement of FXIII activity under our condition setting was favorable in terms of reproducibility, linearity, and correlation with another assays. Since FXIII is the key enzyme that plays important roles in hemostasis by stabilizing fibrin formation, the measurement of FXIII is essential for the diagnosis of bleeding disorders. Therefore, FXIII activity assessment as well as a routine coagulation testing can be conducted simultaneously with one instrument, which is useful in coagulopathy assessment.