title: The PIVKA II test: the first reliable coagulation test for autopsy investigations.
abstract: To date there is no routinely used reliable diagnostic test that can be performed in the post-mortem period to investigate whether a deceased had a coagulation disorder. This paper describes a series of experiments to assess the use of an antigen-based method to investigate the vitamin K-dependent factor II function in the deceased. It illustrates that by using this approach the functional status of factor II can be investigated in the post-mortem period. The abnormal proteins that are investigated by this method appear to remain stable for at least 72 h and potentially up to at least 7 days. The method that is illustrated could thus be reliably used in the post-mortem period to identify a natural or drug-induced factor II abnormality. The potential for other protein components of the coagulation cascade to be investigated by similar antigen-based methodology is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Division of Forensic Pathology, University of Leicester, Robert Kilpatrick Building Leicester Royal Infirmary, PO Box 65, Leicester, LE2 7LX, UK. gnr3@le.ac.uk
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Rutty
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woolley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brookfield
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitchen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000097:blood; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000378:metabolism; D014859:Warfarin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D015415:Biomarkers; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014812:Vitamin K; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D014859:Warfarin; D011516:Prothrombin