Abstract
Staphylococcal clumping test (SCT) is the new method in measuring the levels of fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products (FDP). This method was reviewed by Hawiger and his co-workers in 1970.
The purpose of our study was to evaluate the practical method and clinical use of SCT.
Our conclusions are follows:
1) SCT was simple and rapid method for detecting FDP.
2) The titer of the staphylococcal clumping was stable and did not changed by long term preservation. Very slight difference of titers was observed in the different lots. According to this result, it was considered that the clumping titer of each lot should be examined by the standard fibrinogen solution.
3) In vitro studies revealed that the high molecular FDP were selectively responsible for SCT. FDP solution were made by incubation with plasmin and purified fibrinogen, and the high molecular FDP were obtained by the method of Sephadex G-200, and DEAE Sephadex A-50 column chromatography.
4) In infants, children, and adults, the FDP levels measured by SCT showed almost same levels which were measued by hemagglutination inhibition test (HIT).
5) In cord bloods and newborns, the FDP levels measued by SCT were excessively high in comparison with those measured by HIT.
