Safe oral anticoagulant therapy requires careful laboratory control and the one stage
prothrombin time test bas remained the mainstay of anticoagulant control.
Despite this, a multiplicity of reagents are in use, and there seems to be great
diversity inreporting results.
To achieve harmonization in PT testing for oral anticoagulant control and thus to
ensure reliable oral anticoagulant therapy, the ICSH and ICTH have agreed on the
recommendations for the standardigation based on international normalifed ratio (INR).
In Korea, more than 5 different commercial thromboplastins are available, suggesting
different PT ratio results which would to in different therapeutic ranges. So the author
observed the results on the PT ratio using 5 commercial thromboplastins in normals,
liver disease and patients with warfarin therapy. The data showed similarity in PT
ratios using 4 thromboplastins but one thromboplastin (Simplastin A) resulted in low PT
ratios, particularly in warfarin treated patients.
This study suggests the careful use of therapeutic range according to the
thromboplastins used, until the use of INR system, which is recommended for
standardization of PT testing in controlling of anticoagulant therapy, is popularized.
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