The new coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, like other types of virus, does not exclusively cause respiratory damage; in fact, neurological, cardiovascular, renal and other organ involvement has been described. Specifically, at the cardiac level, it is estimated that there is damage in 1 out of 5 hospitalized patients.
Lately, the appearance of thrombosis– clots in the blood vessels – has been published as a fairly frequent occurrence, which are more common in critically ill patients, but are sometimes also detected in those patients with, a priori, milder symptoms . This has generated debate about which patients should be treated with anticoagulant drugs.
Why is coagulation disturbed?
Viral infections activate our immune response to defend ourselves, causing the release into the blood of different inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines. These mediators interact with platelets and coagulation proteins and can promote an imbalance in the system that controls blood clotting.
Abnormal clotting parameters can be a useful predictor of prognosis in pneumonia due to COVID-19. The main parameters to follow are: D-dimer, Fibrinogen and Prothrombin time.
Kits available in the catalog
Dimer-D
Dimer D is formed by degradation of the reticulated fibrin plasmin of the factor XIIIa. Elevated D-dimer levels are a key indicator of thrombotic events, indicating excess fibrinolysis, after activation of coagulation. Kits available for the determination of D-Dimer:
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Description | Size |
| 4847200 | TECHNOLEIA® D-Dimer Latex Kit | This kit is for the quantitative determination of D-Dimer by “latex enhanced immunoassay. | 150 tests |
| 4847210 | 50 tests | ||
| 2599006 | TECHNOZYM® D-Dimer ELISA Kit | This kit is a complete sandwich ELISA for the quantitative determination of D-Dimer in plasma based on monoclonal antibodies. | 96 tests |
Fibrinogen
The Technoclone Fibrinogen Kit is a modified Clauss reagent with a high concentration of thrombin to make the test virtually insensitive to heparin and to improve clot detection. Fibrinogen determination is usually used in the following situations:
- In the diagnosis of DIC
- In the diagnosis of liver failure
- To detect qualitative fibrinogen abnormalities
- To quantitatively determine fibrinogen deficiency
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Description | Size |
| 5138005 | Fibrinogen Reagent Kit | The Fibrinogen Reagent kit contains: 5 x 2 ml Fibrinogen Reagent, 1 x 1 ml Coagulation Reference | 45 tests |
| 5138080 | Fibrinogen Reagent | Lyophilized fibrinogen reagent ~ 80 I.U. ml | 5 x 5 mL |
| 5138085 | 5 x 2 mL |
Prothrombin time
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Description | Size |
| 5005032 | TECHNOCLOT® PT Owren manual | Lyophilized thromboplastin. For the determination of the combined Faktors II-VII-X. | 10 x 4 mL |
| 5005037 | 10 x 10 mL | ||
| 5005044 | TECHNOCLOT® PT Owren automated | Lyophilisiert thromboplastin. For the determination of the combined Faktors II-VII-X. | 10 x 4 mL |
| 5005046 | 10 x 10 mL |
COVID-19 and Thrombin Generation Assay
Hypercoagulability is inevitably present before depletion of clotting factors and platelets. This fact is barely detectable with the screening tests available on the market today. During the inflammation process, it has been convincingly shown that both extrinsic (ie, tissue factor; TF) and intrinsic (ie, FXII) coagulation pathways can be activated.
Thrombin generation assays (TGA) are based on the control of thrombin formation by means of a fluorogenic substrate after activation of the coagulation cascade by tissue factor. This assay can be used to monitor hemophiliacs during inhibition of inhibitor therapy, to monitor anticoagulation therapy, and to determine states of thrombophilia.
The use of thrombin generation for such diverse applications is possible because Technoclone assays measure all kinetics of thrombin generation not only during the initiation phase of thrombin formation with the end point of fibrin formation, but also during the thrombin down-regulation phase. Formation and inactivation of the thrombin formed. Thrombin generation assays (TGA) are therefore a universal tool for the analysis and monitoring of the hemostatic system on an individual basis.
Ceveron® TGA Assays
Ceveron® TGA reagents are CE marked and optimized thrombin generating reagents for the Ceveron® alpha TGA automated analyzer that is equipped with a fluorescence measurement module (TGA Module). Thrombin generation in Ceveron® alpha TGA is measured with a special adapted TGA fluorometric module.
| Cat. No. | Product Name | Description | Size |
| 5006011 | Ceveron® TGA RB Kit | For the measuring of bleeding tendencies. Low concentration of phospholipid micelles containing low rhTF. | 120 Tests |
| 5006013 | Ceveron® TGA RC Low Kit | For measuring of thrombophilic tendencies. Low concentration of phospholipid micelles containing rhTF. | 120 Tests |
| 5006015 | Ceveron® TGA RC High Kit | For measuring of anticoagulated tendencies. High concentration of phospholipid micelles containing rhTF. | 120 Tests |
COVID-19 and anticoagulant treatment
A consensus has been reached on anticoagulant treatment for hospitalized patients. This guide will be updated weekly. Available here.
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