The present invention relates to improved clotting compositions for producing high quality blood serum samples for analyte testing, such as for pathology testing and other biological assays. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of prothrombin activators in combination with stabilizing agents such as colloids for producing high quality blood serum samples. The present invention also relates to associated methods for preparing clotting compositions, tubes, kits and methods of diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring for responsiveness to therapy.

The present invention relates to improved clotting compositions for producing high quality blood serum samples for analyte testing, such as for pathology testing and other biological assays. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of prothrombin activators in combination with stabilizing agents such as colloids for producing high quality blood serum samples. The present invention also relates to associated methods for preparing clotting compositions, tubes, kits and methods of diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring for responsiveness to therapy.

The invention described herein relates to a method and kit for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients, wherein a coagulation inhibitor and normal pooled plasma mixture reduce the factor deficiency effect of patient plasma, and coagulation inhibitor interference in patient plasma, and increases specificity and the sensitivity for detecting lupus anticoagulants in the patient's blood in a phospholipid-dependent clotting assay.

The invention features methods and compositions for assessing risk, particularly immediate risk, of thrombotic events in patients with suspected or known vascular disease, and more particularly to assessing risk of thrombotic events in patients with coronary artery disease, particularly acute myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, stable angina, or restenosis. Risk of thrombosis can be assessed by analysis of platelet reactivity and/or velocity of thrombin or fibrin formation, and determining whether the patient has a score associated above a risk threshold value. In other embodiments, risk of thrombosis in a patient is evaluated in the context of a profile generated from values obtained from one or more assays that evaluate various factors associated with thrombosis and/or atherosclerosis.

The invention features methods and compositions for assessing risk, particularly immediate risk, of thrombotic events in patients with suspected or known vascular disease, and more particularly to assessing risk of thrombotic events in patients with coronary artery disease, particularly acute myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, stable angina, or restenosis. Risk of thrombosis can be assessed by analysis of platelet reactivity and/or velocity of thrombin or fibrin formation, and determining whether the patient has a score associated above a risk threshold value. In other embodiments, risk of thrombosis in a patient is evaluated in the context of a profile generated from values obtained from one or more assays that evaluate various factors associated with thrombosis and/or atherosclerosis.

Provided is a method, device and system for an in-situ preparation of a sample, for example, for use in detecting the presence of, and/or quantifying, clottable fibrinogen in such a sample.

Disclosed is a reagent for prothrombin time measurement, containing a tissue factor and a surfactant, wherein the value of formula (I), which is represented by (surfactant amount (μmol))/(total protein amount (μg)), is 0.013 to 0.05 μmol/μg.

Disclosed is a reagent for prothrombin time measurement, containing a tissue factor and a surfactant, wherein the value of formula (I), which is represented by (surfactant amount (μmol))/(total protein amount (μg)), is 0.013 to 0.05 μmol/μg.

The invention features a method of monitoring a clotting process by measuring a signal characteristic of the NMR relaxation of water in a sample undergoing clotting to produce NMR relaxation data and determining from the NMR relaxation data a magnetic resonance parameter of water in the sample characteristic of the clots being formed.

The invention features a method of monitoring a clotting process by measuring a signal characteristic of the NMR relaxation of water in a sample undergoing clotting to produce NMR relaxation data and determining from the NMR relaxation data a magnetic resonance parameter of water in the sample characteristic of the clots being formed.