Coagulation tests provide information that is used in diagnosing coagulation disorders, evaluating hemostatic function prior to surgery, and monitoring the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy.
Specimen rejection criteria established by your laboratory should be followed at all times, as improperly collected or processed coagulation specimens could adversely affect patient results.
Generally speaking, hemolyzed specimens should not be used in coagulation testing because ADP liberated from lysed red blood cells can interfere with a number of coagulation tests, especially those involving platelet assessment.
Grossly lipemic specimens may cause erroneous results or a clot may not be detected if a photo-optical coagulation system is used. An alternative method that is not affected by lipemia, such as an electromechanical method, may be required. One way to avoid a grossly lipemic specimen is to ask the patient to fast prior to specimen collection.
