Fibrinogen Degradation Product (FDP) assays are used to help differentiate suspected bleeding and/or clotting disorders. Elevated levels of fibrin or fibrinogen degradation products are diagnostic of plasmin biodegradation of fibrinogen or fibrin. An increase in serum FDP levels is caused either by primary activation of the fibrinolytic system (as in pathological fibrinogenolysis) or by secondary activation of the fibrinolytic system following increased blood clotting (as in disseminated intravascular coagulation).
     This company offers rapid testing for both types of activation. The Thrombo-Wellcotest is a convenient, rapid latex agglutination slide test for the semi-quantitation of FDPs in serum or urine. The Thrombo-Wellcotest is a fast (2 minute test), which is easy to read and sensitive to 2 µg/ml of FDP.
     The D-Dimer Wellcotest is a latex assay for the qualitative and semi-quantitative measurement of cross-linked FDP’s (XDP) in serum or plasma. The D-Dimer Wellcotest is a 3 minute test and is sensitive to 1 µg/ml of XDP, with no Rheumatoid Factor interference. This test is more specific than an FDP test for secondary testing, because D-dimer Wellcotest has specially coated latex particles to agglutinate with cross-linked fibrin degradation products, but not with fibrinogen or FDPs.
     In the latex agglutination tests, a positive reaction is indicated by the development of an agglutinated pattern within the specified time from mixing the latex suspension with the sample, showing visible clumping of the latex particles. The quality of agglutination depends on the strength or concentration of the antigen in the sample, and may vary from large clumps which develop within a few seconds of mixing, to small clumps which develop rather slowly.
     Both kits have a shelf life of one year or greater and are packaged with all the necessary components.
Remel, Inc.
www.CLPmag.com 
Keywords: coagulation, rapid test