Careful selection of sample dilution and factor-V-deficient plasma makes the modified activated protein C resistance test highly specific for the factor V Leiden mutation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate critically the recently modified activated-partial-thromboplastin-time (APTT)-based activated protein C (APC)-resistance tests, which are more specific for the factor V Leiden mutation than the first generation APC-resistance tests. The only modification to these tests is the predilution of the plasma sample in factor-V-deficient plasma. The intended effect of this predilution is to bring the concentrations of all clotting factors, except factor V, to the same normal levels. This, in principle, makes the tests also suitable for assaying the plasma of patients treated with oral anticoagulants and heparin, or of patients with a lupus anticoagulant. However, not every factor-V-deficient plasma is suitable for this application. Because the factor V:factor VIII ratio is important in establishing the APC ratio, the factor-V-deficient plasma should contain a sufficiently high factor VIII concentration. We also found that the optimal dilution to obtain the same APC ratios for patients, whether or not treated with coumarins or heparin, is not the same for each test or factor-V-deficient plasma. We compared two modified APTT-based APC-resistance tests (one developed in our laboratory and one commercial) with respect to their ability to discriminate between carriers and non-carriers of the factor V Leiden mutation. Both modified tests gave complete separation of carriers and non-carriers of the factor V Leiden mutation whether or not they are treated with anticoagulants. This makes these tests very suitable for routine screening.