[The appropriate use of clinical biological tests in hypercoagulability].

Biological markers who are associated with hypercoagulability are of two types: Markers of activation: among them, the most interesting are the D-dimers which are good tools of diagnostic for the deep venous thrombosis and the pulmonary embolism. Thanks to their high negative predictive value. Etiological factors of hypercoagulable states and thrombosis, in other words: the "hypercoagulability chek up".

Latex agglutination assay of human immunoglobulin M antitoxoplasma antibodies which uses enzymatically treated antigen-coated particles.

An assay of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antitoxoplasma antibodies which is rapid (less than 30 min), homogeneous, and reliable (interassay coefficient of variation, less than 11%) is proposed. Its principle is based on the observation that a suspension of latex particles coated with toxoplasma antigens, after treatment with proteinase K, becomes less agglutinable by IgG antibodies but more agglutinable by IgM antibodies. The difference between the activities of the two classes of antibodies is increased by the addition of a monoclonal antibody directed against the Fc region of IgM.

Immunoassay by particle counting for coagulation testing: application to the determination of antithrombin III, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) and plasminogen.

Based on immunoassay by particle counting, three methods for antithrombin III, von Willebrand factor and plasminogen were developed on an automated IMPACT machine and on a semi-automated MULTIPACT system. Precision of the techniques, measured at low, medium and high level of the calibration curve showed coefficients of variation varying from 4.3 to 13.

Diagnostic value of antithrombin III and aminopyrine breath test in liver disease.

To assess the value of the aminopyrine breath test (ABT) and antithrombin III (AT III) determinations in liver disease, both tests were performed on 77 consecutive patients who underwent liver biopsies for increased values of liver enzymes and in 20 patients with clinical cirrhosis. The mean values of AT III and ABT were significantly lower in cases of liver cirrhosis than in cases of steatosis and steatofibrosis. The AT III and ABT values were abnormal in, respectively, 83.

Antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha 2 antiplasmin in jaundice. Clinical usefulness and prognostic significance.

In this prospective study, antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha 2 antiplasmin which are synthetised by the liver were measured and compared with the Normotest, Thrombotest and fibrinogen concentrations in 92 consecutive jaundiced patients. Antithrombin III appeared to be the most discriminant coagulation test in differentiating hepatocellular from cholestatic jaundice. A high correlation was observed between antithrombin III, plasminogen and alpha 2 antiplasmin values suggesting that the liver synthesis of these parameters was closely linked.