Offering a description of current and recently developed laboratory assays in the field of haemostasis and thrombosis, this work is the result of a co-operation between experts from more than 60 institutes in 12 European countries, brought together by the ECAT (European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities) under the auspices of the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels. The work is based on two previous editions, which were for internal use only. Each assay was assessed by an expert who functioned in the ECAT as representative of a reference laboratory. An assay committee co-ordinated the activities, and each chapter is written by an assay expert. Most of the chapters give descriptions of the assay recommended for use in the ECAT and briefly mention alternatives. For this reason, a list is included of firms that are commercializing kits and reagents. The book aims to contribute to further harmonization of haemostasis assays and, ultimately, to their standardization.

This book offers a description of current and recently developed laboratory assays in the field of haemostasis and thrombosis. It is the result of a unique cooperation between experts from more than 60 institutes in 12 European countries, brought together by the ECA T (European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities) under the auspices of the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, Belgium. The ECAT, which was initiated in 1981, designed and performed three prospective clinical studies to establish haemostatic factors as risk indicators of thrombosis. Included were patients with angina pectoris at risk from myocardial infarction, patients undergoing angioplasty at risk from re-stenosis, and patients receiving hip replacement at risk from deep venous thrombosis. Assay procedures were chosen, training courses for technicians held, and essential reagents were supplied from a central source. A quality control assessment scheme served to compare assay results both within and between laboratories. In the angina pectoris study, centres determined most of the assays locally; in the other two studies assays were performed centrally. The need for further quality assessment in Europe Dr J. F. Davidson in Glasgow, led to a separate activity coordinated by including coagulation inhibitors and plasminogen as risk factors for familial venous thrombosis. The Editors hope the ECA T Assay Procedures book will contribute to further harmonization ofhaemostasis assays, and ultimately to their standardization.

The first edition of this manual appeared in 1992 and was entitled ECAT Assay Procedures. It was the result of a unique cooperation between experts brought together by the European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities (ECAT). The Concerted Action was at that time under the auspices of the Commission of the European Union. The second edition, like the first edition, deals with diagnostic tests within the field of thrombosis. However, the second edition has a broader scope because it is no longer limited by the frontiers of ECAT. Experts allover the world, in and outside ECAT, have contributed to this edition. The editors are very grateful for their contributions. The need for a new edition is obvious. Since 1992 new assays have been introduced for research, diagnosis, and therapy of thrombosis; for other assays improvements have been suggested, while a few others became redundant. The editors waived the radioimmunoassays of ~-thrombog1obulin and platelet factor 4 due to the fact that the kits required for these assays are rarely, or no longer, available. Also the PAI-1 activity assay was waived as it is liable to many inconsistencies and to large variations. A list of names and addresses of manufacturers marketing the kits and reagents has been compiled, together with a list of the recommended nomenclature of quantities in thrombosis and haemostasis, in order to facilitate the use of the updated version. These lists have been carefully compiled by Johannes J. Sidelmann, PhD, Department of Clinical Biochemistry in Esbjerg, Denmark.

The first edition of this manual appeared in 1992 and was entitled ECAT Assay Procedures. It was the result of a unique cooperation between experts brought together by the European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities (ECAT). The Concerted Action was at that time under the auspices of the Commission of the European Union. The second edition, like the first edition, deals with diagnostic tests within the field of thrombosis. However, the second edition has a broader scope because it is no longer limited by the frontiers of ECAT. Experts allover the world, in and outside ECAT, have contributed to this edition. The editors are very grateful for their contributions. The need for a new edition is obvious. Since 1992 new assays have been introduced for research, diagnosis, and therapy of thrombosis; for other assays improvements have been suggested, while a few others became redundant. The editors waived the radioimmunoassays of ~-thrombog1obulin and platelet factor 4 due to the fact that the kits required for these assays are rarely, or no longer, available. Also the PAI-1 activity assay was waived as it is liable to many inconsistencies and to large variations. A list of names and addresses of manufacturers marketing the kits and reagents has been compiled, together with a list of the recommended nomenclature of quantities in thrombosis and haemostasis, in order to facilitate the use of the updated version. These lists have been carefully compiled by Johannes J. Sidelmann, PhD, Department of Clinical Biochemistry in Esbjerg, Denmark.