Effect of haemolysis, icterus and lipemia on prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and fibrinogen measured using Sysmex CA- 50 Hemostasis Analyzer at La Croix du Sud Hospital

Plasma prothrombin time (PPT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) are coagulation tests routinely performed in laboratories to evaluate the function of the coagulation system. Generally, samples with haemolysis, icterus and lipaemia are rejected in different laboratories which delays medical care and cause discomfort to patients. This was a cross sectional study conducted to determine the effect of haemolysis, icterus and lipaemia on PT, aPTT and fibrinogen as measured by Sysmex CA-50. Included samples were those that were showing one or more of the following characteristics: hemolysis, icterus, or lipemia. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Venous blood were collected from the participants using Tri-Sodium Citrate anticoagulated tubes, centrifuged and visually inspected for hemolysis, icterus and lipemia. aPTT, PT and fibrinogen of the selected specimen were determined by Sysmex CA-50 at La Croix du Sud Hospital. An independent -test was used for comparison of quantitative measurements between the two groups (normal and icteric, normal and hemolyzed, normal and lipemic), and the level of statistical significance was set as 0.05 (5%) in all tests. This study reports that while PT and fibrinogen are not statistically (P>0.05) significantly affected by hemolysis, Icterus, and lipemia among the participants; aPTT was affected by hemolysis (results of non-hemolyzed decreased from 32.5 ± 1.89 to 31.5 ± 2.87 for hemolyzed sample, P value=0.002) but it remains almost constant for both icteric and lipemic samples. After a careful visual inspection of blood specimen for coagulation tests, only aPPT test should cause rejection patient’s samples with hemolysis while icteric and lipemic should not be rejected at all when aPTT, PT, and fibrinogen tests are to be performed. There is a need for further study to be done on effects of icterus, hemolysis, and lipemia on other clotting factors. There is a need for further studies to be done on effects of icterus, hemolysis, and lipemia on other clotting factors. Key words: Hemolyis, icterus, lipemia, partial thromboplastin (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen.