title: Monitoring of heparin treatment. Comparison of thrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and plasma heparin concentration, and analysis of the behavior of antithrombin III.
abstract: Three laboratory methods for monitoring heparin treatment have been compared using 63 plasma samples: the thrombin time, the activated partial thromboplastin time, and the measurement of the heparin concentration using a chromogenic substrate. A good correlation was found between the methods. However, the intensity of anticoagulation was identical in only 27 of the 63 samples (43%) when the thrombin time and the activated partial thromboplastin time were compared. Fully discordant results were recorded for four samples (6%). The thrombin time was found to be more closely related to the plasma heparin concentration than was the activated partial thromboplastin time. Both antithrombin-III activity and immunologic levels were lower in the group with strong heparinization. It is suggested that the thrombin time is a good and safe method for monitoring heparin treatment.
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006493:Heparin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D013918:Thrombin Time
chemical_list: D000990:Antithrombin III; D006493:Heparin