PIVKA-II is a candidate marker for monitoring the effects of the oral anticoagulant warfarin.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether PIVKA-II can serve as a monitoring marker of warfarin treatment.


METHODS
The correlation between PIVKA-II concentration and INR was analyzed among outpatients on warfarin therapy and PIVKA-II concentration after commencement of warfarin administration was monitored for six patients.


RESULTS
PIVKA-II concentration and INR were significantly correlated in the patients on regular warfarin therapy. PIVKA-II level increased abruptly after start of warfarin administration.


CONCLUSIONS
PIVKA-II assay can be useful to monitor the efficacy of warfarin therapy.
Lee
Woochang
W
Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
Chung
Hee-Jung
HJ
Kim
Sollip
S
Jang
Seongsoo
S
Park
Chan-Jeoung
CJ
Chi
Hyun-Sook
HS
Chun
Sail
S
Min
Won-Ki
WK
D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000925:Anticoagulants; D015415:Biomarkers; D011498:Protein Precursors; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D014859:Warfarin; D011516:Prothrombin