From Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time to Antifactor Xa and Back Again

Abstract

Monitoring is essential to safe anticoagulation prescribing and requires close collaboration among pathologists, clinicians, and pharmacists. We describe our experience in the evolving strategy for laboratory testing of unfractionated heparin (UFH). An intrainstitutional investigation revealed significant discordance between activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and antifactor Xa (anti-Xa) assays, prompting a transition from the former to the latter in 2013. With the increasing use of oral factor Xa inhibitors (eg, apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban, betrixaban), which interfere with the anti-Xa assay, we adapted our protocol again to incorporate aPTT in patients admitted on oral Xa inhibitors who require transition to UFH. Our experience demonstrates key challenges in anticoagulation and highlights the importance of clinical pathologists in helping health systems adapt to the changing anticoagulation landscape.