title: Thrombin generation and rotational thromboelastometry in the healthy adult population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Published data on thrombin generation variables and their correlation with thromboelastometry in the healthy population are scarce. This study aimed at assessing thrombin generation in adults and its correlation to classical rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thrombin generation was measured in platelet-poor plasma from healthy volunteers using the calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) with 1 and 5 pmol/l tissue factor final concentration. Lag time, thrombin peak, time to thrombin peak and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) were analyzed. ROTEM was performed without activator (NATEM) and data for clotting time, alpha angle, clot formation time and maximum clot firmness were correlated with those of thrombin generation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 132 persons (72 men, 60 women; median age: 48.0 years) were included. There was a positive non-linear correlation for age versus lag time (p < 0.001) and time to peak (p = 0.001), and almost linear correlation for age versus thrombin peak (p = 0.024) and ETP (p = 0.001), although with a moderate regression slope. Regarding ROTEM, there was a positive correlation between age and maximum clot firmness and alpha angle (p = 0.001), but a negative correlation between age and clotting time (p = 0.039). Comparing both assays, thrombin peak and ETP measured with a final tissue factor concentration of 5 pmol/l correlated significantly with alpha angle and maximum clot firmness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The age-related changes in CAT and ROTEM variables among adults are not linear. There is a significant correlation, although with a moderate slope, between data from CAT measured with 5 pmol/l tissue factor and ROTEM.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siegemund
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siegemund
authors.affiliation: Dr. Sirak Petros, University Hospital Leipzig, Medical ICU, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany, Tel. +49/(0)341/97 12 70-0, Fax -9, E-mail:Sirak.Petros@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petros
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013916:Thrombelastography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013917:Thrombin
keywords: Thrombin generation; calibrated automated thrombogram; rotational thromboelastometry