Fibrinogen Test:
Why Fibrinogen Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Fibrinogen is also called coagulation factor-1. Fibrinogen is one of 13 coagulation factors responsible for normal blood clotting. Fibrinogen is a protein formed by the liver that is released into the bloodstream. Fibrinogen has a key role in coagulation and thrombosis. Moreover, fibrinogen being an acute-phase protein is found to increase inflammations as an inflammatory response. Thrombin is an enzyme that converts the fibrinogen protein to fibrin that binds to platelets and other serum proteins to form a hemostatic plugin in the process of blood clotting. During an injury when the tissues or blood vessels are injured, the coagulation cascade is initiated by the platelets and clotting factors are triggered which activates a series of cascades to form a clot. Fibrinogen test is also called factor-1 test, serum fibrinogen test, functional fibrinogen test etc. Fibrinogen test is a helpful tool hence performed to check for bleeding or clotting factor disorders. There are two types of fibrinogen blood tests, they are the fibrinogen antigen test –which measures the amount of fibrinogen in the blood, and the fibrinogen activity test – it checks how well fibrinogen functions to form a clot. When the fibrinogen levels are deficient or if the fibrinogen has a functional defect it will result in excessive bleeding. This test is also performed along with prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT) or thrombin clotting time (TCT) etc, which suggests clotting problems, in pathologies like DIC, screening for liver disease, medications to prevent blood clots, family history of bleeding or clotting disorders etc. This test is also ordered as a screening test to find the cause of abnormal bleeding such as clinical manifestations of excessive bruising, excessive bleeding from gums, frequent nose bleeding, GIT bleeding, blood in urine, bloody stools etc. High fibrinogen is associated with infection, inflammation, cancer, RA, Nephrotic syndrome, heart attacks, stroke, pregnancy, recent surgery, diabetes, obesity, age over 60 years, sitting in one position for long periods like on a plane etc. Low fibrinogen levels are associated with liver disease, DIC, cancer, malnutrition, inherited or congenital blood clotting disorders, frequent blood transfusion etc. Some of the factors that may influence this test are OCPs, vigorous exercise, medications like spreptokinase, valproic acid, phenobarbital, anabolic steroids etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample collected from the vein. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
