Method for monitoring coagulability and hypercoagulable states

• US 7,169,573 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Shinichiro, Stearns-Kurosawa, Deborah J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector; Lorraine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaufman; Claire M.
• Application Number:
  US10/028,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20060286614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 530/381, 530/350, 530/395, 424/94.67, 424/94.1, 424/529, 424/530, 435/4, 435/7.8, 435/7.92, 514/802, 514/822
• US Class Current: 435/7.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/224 Haemostasis or coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6893 related to diseases not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/86 involving blood coagulating time or factors, or their receptors

Abstract

The assay of soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) is useful to monitor effective thrombin levels and a hypercoagulable state. An assay for sEPCR is therefore useful to monitor ongoing effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy. A sEPCR ELISA assay is particularly useful for this purpose. A state of hypercoagulability in patients or normal individuals can also be identified by such an assay.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring effective thrombin levels in a human patient undergoing anticoagulant therapy comprising measuring circulating levels of soluble endothelial protein C receptor (sEPCR) of said patient, wherein lowered sEPCR levels relate to lowered effective thrombin activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves a vitamin K antagonist.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves at least one of Warfarin, Coumadine, Previscan, and Sintrom.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves use of heparin, low molecular weight heparin, pentasaccharides, hirudin, hirudin analogs, coagulation factor inhibitors, protein C pathway components, tissue factor pathway inhibitors, anti-platelet compounds or fibrinolytic pathway components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sEPCR is measured by an immunoassay.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sEPCR is measured by ELISA.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sEPCR level is determined by measuring sEPCR in a blood product, cerebrospinal fluid or urine.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the blood product is plasma or serum.

9. A method for monitoring effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy in a human patient comprising measuring circulating sEPCR levels of said patient, wherein decreases in sEPCR indicate that the anticoagulant therapy is effective.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves a vitamin K antagonist.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves at least one of Warfarin, Coumadine, Previscan, and Sintrom.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the anticoagulant therapy involves use of heparin, low molecular weight heparin, pentasaccharides, hirudin, hirudin analogs, coagulation factor inhibitors, protein C pathway components, tissue factor pathway inhibitors, anti-platelet compounds or fibrinolytic pathway components.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the sEPCR is measured by an immunoassay.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sEPCR is measured by ELISA.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the sEPCR level is determined by measuring sEPCR in a blood product, cerebrospinal fluid or urine.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the blood product is plasma or serum.