This book contains the proceedings of a symposium on the use of
synthetic substrates in clinical blood coagulation assays, which was
held at the University of Leuven, Belgium, on March 1st, 1980. This
meeting was organized in order to exchange and discuss recent develop-
ments and applications in this field. Advantages and disadvantages of
synthetic substrates are discussed, while expert workers report on their
practical experience with the use of chromogenic substrates in routine
assays for blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. The indications when to
perform antithrombin III, a2-antiplasmin, factor X and factor II
determinations are discussed. For each of the determinations a critical
evaluation of the chromogenic assay as compared to the classical assay
is presented. The clinical relevance of these assays for anticoagulated
and cirrhotic patients, detection of vitamin K deficiency, monitoring
heparin therapy and the fibrinolytic system are discussed. Recent
developments in the use of fluorogenic substrates for the assay of low
concentrations of fibrin- olytic activators are presented. Taking into
account all practical, medical and economical con- siderations an answer
is prepared to the question "Are synthetic sub- strates to be
recommended for routine use?". To make this symposium useful, rapid
publication of the proceedings has been undertaken. We are grateful to
the participants in this meeting for their co- operation and for their
willingness to provide manuscripts of their presentations. The
manuscripts provided by C. Kluft and H.H.D.M.