Point-of-care-testing (POCT) is performance of a laboratory assay outside the laboratory by nontrained personnel. The advantages of POCT are: more rapid medical decisions, avoidance of long sample transports, and small samples. The disadvantages of POCT are: no laboratory personnel, insufficient calibration, quality control and maintenance, poor documentation, high costs, difficult comparability POCT/central laboratory. Therefore, disposing of a 24-hour central laboratory, the POCT spectrum should be limited to the vital parameters: K+, Ca++, Na+, glucose, creatinine, blood gases, hemoglobin or hematocrit, NH3, lactate. POCT offers no advantages, if the hospital has a rapid transport system such as a pneumatic delivery to the central laboratory. The rapid diagnosis of the acute hemostasis state of a patient should be performed in the 24-hour central laboratory that is connected to all hospital wards via a good pneumatic delivery.
1. Heinschink A, Muller MM. Point-of-care Testing. J Lab Med2002;26:61-61.
2.
2. Muller MM, Hackl W, Griesmacher A. Point-of-care-testing-the intensive care laboratory. Anaesthesist1999;48: 3-3.
3.
3. Despotis GH, Joist JH, Goodnough LT. Monitoring of hemostasis in cardiac surgical patients: Impact of point-ofcare testing on blood loss and transfusion outcomes. Clin Chem1997;43:1684-1684.
4.
4. Boldt J, Walz G, Triem J, Suttner S, Kumle B. Point-ofcare (POC) measurement of coagulation after cardiac surgery. Intensive Care Med1998;24:1187-1187.
5.
5. Despotis GJ, Summerfield AL, Joist JH, et al. Comparison of activated coagulation time and whole blood heparin measurements with laboratory anti-Xa heparin concentration in patients having cardiac operations. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg1994;108:1076-1076.
6.
6. Ferring M, Reber G, de Moerloose P, Merlani P, Diby M, Ricou B. Point of care and central laboratory determinations of the aPTT are not interchangeable in surgical intensive care patients. Can JAnaesth2001;48:1155-1155.
7.
7. Poller L, Keown M, Chauhan N, et al. European concerted action on anticoagulation (ECAA): multicentre international sensitivity index calibration of two types of point-ofcare prothrombin time monitor systems. Br J Hematol2002;116:844-844.
8.
8. Gibbs NM, Weightman WM, Tackray NM, Michalopoulos N. Evaluation of the TAS coagulation analyzer for monitoring heparin effect in cardiac surgical patients. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth1998; 12:536-536.
9.
9. Hirsch J, Wendt T, Kuhly P, Schaffartzik W. Point-of-care testing; measurement of coagulation. Anaesthesia2001; 56:760-760.
10.
10. Ruzicka K, Kapiotis S, Quehenberger P, et al. Evaluation of bedsite prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time measurement by coagulation analyzer CoaguChek Plus in various clinical settings. Thromb Res1997;87:431-431.
11.
11. Gosselin R, Owings JT, White RH, et al. A comparison of point-of-care instruments designed for monitoring oral anticoagulation with standard laboratory methods. Thromb Haemost2000;83:698-698.
12.
12. Cosmi B, Palareti G, Moia M, et al. Accuracy of a portable prothrombin time monitor (Coaguchek) in patients on chronic oral anticoagulant therapy: a prospective multicenter study. Thromb Res2000;100:279-279.
13.
13. St-Louis P. Status of point-of-care testing: promise, realities, and possibilities. Clin Biochem2000;33:427-427.
14.
14. Zalunardo MP, Zollinger A, Seifert B, Patti M, Pasch T. Perioperative reliability of an on-site prothrombin time assay under different haemostatic conditions. Br JAnaesth1998;81:533-533.
15.
15. Mertzlufft F, Risch A, Seyfert UT. Der TAS-Analyzer. Anaesthesist1997;46:233-233.
16.
16. Kemme MJ, Faaij RA, Schoemaker RC, et al. Disagreement between bedside and laboratory activated partial thromboplastin time and international normalized ratio for various novel anticoagulants. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis2001; 12:583-583.
17.
17. Nowak G. Clinical monitoring of hirudin and direct thrombin inhibitors. Semin Thromb Hemost2001;27:537-537.
18.
18. Oberhardt BJ, Mize PD, Pritchard CG. Point-of-care fibrinolytic tests: The other side of blood coagulation. Clin Chem1997;43:1697-1697.
19.
19. Stief TW, Weippert M, Kretschmer V, Renz H. Arginine inhibits hemostasis activation. Thromb Res2001;104:265-265.
20.
20. Stief TW. The susceptibility of plasma to activation of fibrinolysis. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis1993;4: 123-123.
21.
21. Spannagl M, Calatzis A. Point-of-care analysis of the hemostatic system. J Lab Med2002;26:68-68.
22.
22. Kundu SK, Heilmann EJ, Sio R, Garcia C, Ostgaard RA. Characterization of an in vitro platelet function analyzer, PFA-100®. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost1996;2:241-241.
23.
23. von Pape KW, Aland E, Bohner J. Platelet function analysis with PFA-100® in patients medicated with acetylsalicylic acid strongly depends on concentration of sodium citrate for anticoagulation of blood sample. Thromb Res2000;98:295-295.
24.
24. Stief TW, Feek U, Ramaswamy A, Kretschemer V, Renz H, Fareed J. Singlet oxygen (102) disrupts platelet aggregates. Thromb Res2001;104:361-361.
25.
25. Hicks JM, Haeckel R, Price CP, Lewandrowski K, Wu AH. Recommendations and opinions for the use of point-ofcare testing for hospitals and primary care: summary of a 1999 symposium. Clin Chim Acta2001;303:1-1.
