All mechanisms that increase thrombin formation increase thrombotic potential while all mechanisms that decrease thrombin formation conversely decrease thrombotic potential. However, bleeding potential may be increased. Thus, measurement of thrombin generation in clotting plasma is an excellent tool for assessment of bleeding or thrombotic tendency. In parallel with the thrombin generation (TG) experiment, a fixed thrombin activity (our Thrombin Calibrator) is measured in a second fraction of the same plasma, correcting for any optical or substrate consumption artifacts. TG is a universal test capable of assessing a research subject’s global hemostatic balance in the case of hemorrhage or thrombosis. Few methods previously existed that allowed for TG standardization and calibration. The CAT TG method is both specific and sensitive, thus giving increased relevance to hemostatic testing in academic research centers, pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations.
Based on a fluorescence signal, the CAT assay from Diagnostica Stago is sensitive to any individual anti- or prothrombotic drug or combinations of drugs, which makes it a valuable tool for development and validation of new anti- or prothrombotic drugs. Other published applications include analysis of samples from donors with rare platelet defects, primary hemostasis factor defects, factor V Leiden, and lupus anticoagulants. Current coagulation assays utilizing clotting methodology miss 95% of the thrombin formed due to the fact that at the moment of clot formation, only 5% of total thrombin has formed. The CAT is an alternative measurement of coagulability that gives much more information regarding global hemostatic potential as compared to routine clotting tests.
