title: The Necessity of Using Heparin in the UltraTag RBC Kit When Tagging Blood for a Nuclear Medicine Study.
abstract: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the need to use heparin when preparing an UltraTag red blood cell (RBC) kit for a nuclear medicine study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonheparinized blood samples (n = 15) and heparinized blood samples (n = 15) were added to UltraTag RBC kits. The samples were examined for macroscopic blood clotting and microscopic platelet clumping. As a control, samples with heparin (n = 15) and without heparin (n = 15) were used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the anticoagulant properties within the UltraTag RBC kit (sodium citrate) and whether those properties played a role in preventing clots or clumps. To detect clotting, the wooden applicator stick method was used. To detect clumping, blood smears were evaluated using a light microscope. The two samples were compared for presence of clots and clumps. Fisher exact testing was used to evaluate the significance of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the UltraTag RBC group, 2 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clotted and none of the 15 heparinized samples clotted; for the control group, 2 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clotted and none of the 15 heparinized samples clotted. For the Ultra-Tag RBC group, 3 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clumped and 3 of the 15 heparinized samples clumped; for the control group, 15 of the 15 nonheparinized samples clumped and 10 of the 15 heparinized samples clumped.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When heparin is not used, the Ultra-Tag RBC kit is more likely to form clots. Heparin should always be used when preparing an Ultra-Tag RBC kit for a nuclear medicine study.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; and pigmons@umail.iu.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Pigmon
authors.affiliation: Purdue University College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, Indiana.
authors.forename: Kara D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Weatherman
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; and.
authors.forename: Nicholas C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Brehl
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; and.
authors.forename: Cybil J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D006493:Heparin
keywords: UltraTag; heparin; macroscopic clots; microscopic platelet clumping