Summary
We have evaluated two automated methods for measuring ristocetin cofactor activity
(VWF:RCo) on an automated coagulation analyzer (STAR®, Diagnostica Stago Inc., Parsippany, NJ). A modification of the BC von Willebrand
Reagent method (Dade Behring Inc., Newark, Delaware) was compared with a standard
method using a platelet aggregometer, and an in-house automated method was developed
using commercially available components. The STAR® measures the change in optical density (OD) caused by agglutination of platelets.
Change in OD was linear for plasma dilutions between .25 and .04 U/mL. Coefficient
of variation compared favorably with that of the standard method. In 123 normal women,
the correlation coefficient (r) = .905. In menorrhagia cases, r = .901. In 20 VWD
patients, r = .93. The CDC in-house method was compared to the BC Reagent method in
79 additional menorrhagia cases, with r = .94. The automated methods produced results
equivalent or superior to those of traditional methods of measuring VWF:RCo.
Keywords
von Willebrand factor - ristocetin cofactor - methods