Korean Circ J.  2009 Feb;39(2):71-74. 10.4070/kcj.2009.39.2.71.

Clinical Utility and Accuracy of Coaguchek(R) XS, a Reliable Alternative to Laboratory International Normalized Ratio Monitoring in Korean Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

• Kim SH
• Suh SY
• Kim HJ
• Han SW
• Jung SM
• Ryu KH

• KMID: 2297952
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2009.39.2.71

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy and the clinical utility of the Coaguchek(R) XS, a portable point-of-care coagulometer, compared to standard laboratory methods in Korean patients.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
We included 107 patients with atrial fibrillation on long-term oral warfarin therapy. The prothrombin time as expressed by the international normalized ratio (INR) was measured by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS system as well as standard laboratory methods. Agreement between the two methods was defined as a difference of less than 0.3 between the INR values.
RESULTS
The INR determined by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS had excellent correlation with the values obtained by standard methods (r=0.984, p<0.01). The INR determined by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS tended to be high among the high INR group values (standard INR>3.0). There was a 91.6% agreement between the two methods. Only nine cases (8.4%) had a difference of more than 0.3; this was mainly noted in the high INR group.
CONCLUSION
The portable self-testing of the INR by the Coaguchek(R) XS might be a reliable alternative to hospital based laboratory testing in Korean patients.

Keyword

Atrial fibrillation; Prothrombin time

MeSH Terms

Atrial Fibrillation
Humans
International Normalized Ratio
Prothrombin Time
Warfarin
Warfarin

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The correlation between INRs by Coaguchek® XS and standard laboratory test (r=0.984, p<0.01). INR: international normalized ratio.

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  Fig. 2 Bland-Altman Plot of the difference between INRs obtained by the Coaguchek® XS and standard laboratory testing. INR: international normalized ratio.

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