Monitoring Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) therapy: Which Anti Factor Xa assay is appropriate?

Abstract

Introduction: Anti-Factor Xa (Anti-Xa) assays specifically determine the anticoagulant activity of UFH by measuring the ability of heparin-bound Antithrombin (AT) to inhibit a single enzyme, Factor Xa (FXa). Recent improvements in the automation, cost-effectiveness and accessibility of the assay to clinicians, have resulted in the Anti-Xa assay becoming a part of daily clinical practice in many institutions. Objectives: We hypothesized that different Anti-Xa assays have different applicability for use in clinical settings, depending on the amount of UFH administered. This was investigated in a tertiary paediatric institution. Materials and methods: Samples were collected from children receiv..