Coagulation
Coagulation laboratory tests
Ecarin clotting time
Author: Jeremy C. Parsons, M.D.
Last author update: 1 June 2012
Last staff update: 23 September 2020
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Ecarin clotting time
Table of Contents
Definition / generalCite this page: Parsons JC. Ecarin clotting time. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/coagulationecarinclottingtime.html. Accessed April 18th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Measures activity of hirudin in plasma, important since severe bleeding can occur with hirudin overdose and no antidote is known
- Also measures activity of lepirudin, a recombinant form of hirudin (J Extra Corpor Technol 2001;33:117)
- Ecarin catalyzes prothrombin to meizothrombin, an active form that is inhibited by hirudin (Pathophysiol Haemost Thromb 2004;33:173)
- Test measures ability of hirudin to complex with / inhibit meizothrombin as ecarin produces it from prothrombin
- Ecarin comes from the venon of the saw - scaled viper
- Specimen:
- Sodium citrate tube filled to top
- Freeze immediately until testing occurs
- Specimens with clots or hemolysis are unacceptable, unless hemolysis is due to cardiopulmonary bypass and is produced in vivo
- Do not draw from heparinized catheter
- Reference range:
- 22.6 - 29.0 seconds
- Prolonged if hirudin or argatroban (direct thrombin inhibitors) present; also hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia
- False positive if prothrombin deficiency is present
