title: The effect of epsilon-aminocaproic acid on HemoSTATUS and kaolin-activated clotting time measurements.
abstract: New point-of-care assays have been used to identify patients with heparin resistance (i.e. heparin dose response test; Medtronic Blood Management, Parker, CO) and who have platelet dysfunction (i.e. HemoSTATUS; Medtronic Blood Management). We examined the effect of epsilon-aminocaproic acid on results from these two point-of-care tests in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Twenty patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgical procedures were enrolled in this prospective study. HemoSTATUS clot ratio (% maximal) values in Channels (Ch) 3-6 (Ch 3: 26 +/- 25, Ch 4: 66 +/- 23, Ch 5: 84 +/- 20, Ch 6: 106 +/- 18) obtained after the IV administration of epsilon-aminocaproic acid were similar to values obtained before the administration of this agent (Ch 3: 26 +/- 20, Ch 4: 69 +/- 23, Ch 5: 86 +/- 19, Ch 6: 109 +/- 14). Slope values (86 +/- 23 s x U(-1) x mL(-1)) and projected heparin concentrations (4 +/- 1 U/mL) obtained before the administration of epsilon-aminocaproic acid were similar to slope values (88 +/- 21 s x U(-1) x mL(-1)) and projected heparin concentrations (4 +/- 1 U/mL) values obtained after administration of this agent. Our data indicate that HemoSTATUS clot ratio values and heparin dose response values are not significantly affected after IV dosing of epsilon-aminocaproic acid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Values from two activated coagulation time-based test systems used to identify significant heparin resistance or platelet dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass were not significantly affected by epsilon-aminocaproic acid administered IV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bigham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spitznagel
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Despotis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015119:Aminocaproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007616:Kaolin; D008297:Male; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D014914:Whole Blood Coagulation Time
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D007616:Kaolin; D005337:Fibrin; D001241:Aspirin; D015119:Aminocaproic Acid