Usefulness of fibrinopeptide A generation tests in experimental and clinical studies with low molecular weight heparin fractions.

FPA generation test provides a sensitive tool to study the events leading to the production of fibrin from fibrinogen. Drug modulation of pathways resulting in thrombin generation can be readily assessed utilizing the FPA generation test. In circumstances in which conventional clotting and amidolytic methods fail to detect any antiprotease effects, the FPA generation test provides the sensitivity to study these actions. The FPA generation test demonstrates the collective action of antithrombotic agents on inhibition of activation of the pathways leading to the generation of thrombin. The generation systems are easily modified by activators to provide identification of sites, components, and modulating interaction of various heparin derivatives on the hemostatic system. The FPA generation test assesses the overall inhibitory effects of heparin and thus provides insight into the pharmacokinetics of the biologically active components of these agents. Currently, the FPA generation test may be utilized to demonstrate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics but has limited quantitative capacity in this regard. The FPA generation test performed on native plasma may provide insight into the great variation in individual hemostatic parameters important to dosage determinations.