Laboratory Services

Fibrinogen

Print this page

Updated Test Information:

Test Description
Fibrinogen
Synonym(s)

Ancrod Fibrinogen, Kinetic Fibrinogen, UOW1685

Test ID
FIBCL
General Information

The fibrinogen activity is a coagulation screening test using the Clauss clotting method to measure the rate of fibrinogen to fibrin conversion under the influence of excess thrombin. The level of fibrinogen in the plasma is used to monitor severity and treatment of DIC, fibrinolysis, advanced liver disease and cirrhosis, acute or chronic inflammatory illnesses, pregnancy or estrogen therapy, and therapy with fibrinolytic agents (e.g streptokinase, tissue plasminogen activator).

Container Type

3 mL or 5 mL Light Blue Citrate Tube

Specimen Type

Blood

Specimen Requirements

Entire specimen

Specimen Collection / Processing Instructions

MUST PROCESS WITH 4 HOURS OF COLLECTION
Platelet poor Coag Citrate Specimen processing:
1. Gently invert tube 2-3 times prior to placing in Centrifuge
2. Centrifuge Citrate whole blood at 4500 rpm for 10 minutes
3. Carefully pipette plasma, avoiding the platelet/buffy coat into a plastic vial
4. Centrifuge plasma at 4500 rpm for 10 minutes
5. Pipette the plasma to a plastic vial, leaving the bottom 0.25 mL undisturbed
6. Freeze plasma immediately and transport frozen. 

Minimum Sample Volume

1 mL

Limitations

Clinical assay interference and limitations: When the fibrinogen assay is to be performed on samples collected from patients receiving thrombolytic therapy and without addition of an anticoagulant mixture containing a plasmin inhibitor in the collection tube, fibrinogen results may be underestimated. Fibrinogen assay is insensitive to fibrin degradation products (up to 130 ug/mL), hirudin (up to 3 ug/mL) and heparins (UFH and LMWH) (up to 2 IU/mL).

Department (code)

Coagulation (COAG)

Methodology

Stago STA clotting assay (Clauss fibrinogen)

Testing Schedule

Daily

CPT Code(s)

85384

Reference Range

150-450 mg/dL

STAT Orderable (Y/N)

Yes

Performing Lab

UW

LOINC Code(s)

3255-7