Description
Synonyms:
Clottable Fibrinogen
Factor I Activity
Use: Diagnosis of homozygous and heterozygous fibrinogen deficiency as well as dysfibrinogenemia; diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation; fibrinogen levels can be used to assess the effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy.
Limitations: Fibrinogen is an acute-phase reactant and can often become significantly increased in conditions involving tissue damage, infection, or inflammation. Increased levels may be seen in smokers, during pregnancy, and in women taking oral contraceptives. Fibrinogen levels can be diminished in advanced liver disease. Very high levels of heparin, presence of direct thrombin inhibitors, or fibrin breakdown products may falsely reduce fibrinogen levels because they interfere with the rate of clot formation. Lipemia or hemolysis may interfere with this assay.