New ACTICLOT® dPT™ Lupus Anticoagulant screening test

Axis-Shield UK has announced a new addition to its range of haemostasis diagnostic tests. ACTICLOT® dPT™ has been developed as a screening test for lupus anticoagulant (LA).  The kit, manufactured by American Diagnostica Inc, is the first dilute Prothrombin Time (dPT) test to have the additional feature of a unique concentrated phospholipid reagent for confirmation of a positive dPT LA screen. ACTICLOT dPT offers high sensitivity without sacrificing specificity. Adding ACTICLOT dPT to an LA testing panel significantly reduces false negatives and increases ability to diagnose LA.

ACTICLOT dPT kit includes dPT Activator and a phospholipid reagent for confirmation of a positive screen result. The test can be run simultaneously on most automated analysers along with other LA tests. Screening and confirmatory protocols can be performed in the same run.

ACTICLOT dPT identifies LA patients who may not be detected by prolongation of the aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) and dRVVT (dilute Russell’s viper venom time) and so makes an ideal addition to a coagulation laboratory screening panel.

Lupus anticoagulant is an anti-phospholipid antibody and its presence is associated with increased risk of developing blood clots in both the veins and the arteries. These clots may block blood flow to any part of the body resulting in stroke, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism (or emboli), DVT and recurrent foetal loss. Presence of the lupus anticoagulant is an acquired, not inherited, condition.