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Ecarin-Based Methods for Measuring Thrombin Inhibitors

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Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2663))

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Abstract

Ecarin is a venom from the saw-scaled viper, Echis carinatus, which catalyzes prothrombin into meizothrombin. This venom is used in several hemostasis laboratory assays, including ecarin clotting time (ECT) and ecarin chromogenic assays (ECA). The use of these ecarin-based assays was first implemented as a tool for monitoring the infusion of a direct thrombin inhibitor, hirudin. Subsequently, this method has been more recently employed for measuring either the pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic properties of the oral direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran. In this chapter, the procedure for performing manual ECT and automated and manual ECA for measuring thrombin inhibitors is described.

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Abbreviations

APTT:

Activated partial thromboplastin time

DTI:

Direct thrombin inhibitors

ECA:

Ecarin chromogenic assay

ECT:

Ecarin clotting time

EU:

Ecarin units

PD:

Pharmacodynamics

PK:

Pharmacokinetics

PPP:

Platelet-poor plasma

QC:

Quality control

References

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Conflict of Interest

RCG receives consulting fees from Sysmex America Inc.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thrombosis & Hemostasis Center, University of California, Davis Health System, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Robert C. Gosselin

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  1. Robert C. Gosselin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia

    Emmanuel J. Favaloro

  2. Hemostasis & Thrombosis Center, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Robert C. Gosselin

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

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Gosselin, R.C. (2023). Ecarin-Based Methods for Measuring Thrombin Inhibitors. In: Favaloro, E.J., Gosselin, R.C. (eds) Hemostasis and Thrombosis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2663. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3175-1_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3175-1_23

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3174-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3175-1

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