| abstract |
A new method for improving the accuracy of blood tests for the presence of lupus anticoagulants and for blood factor deficiencies is disclosed. Brown recluse spiders are collected, their venon glands removed by microdissection and the active toxin extracted. The toxin is mixed with normal donor plasma in concentrations of about 3.5 μl/ml of toxin to plasma. The treated plasma successfully mimics human plasma having lupus anticoagulants. By using the treated plasma in blood tests and assays as a standardized control to which the results from tests on questioned blood plasma samples may be compared, the equipment and procedures for those tests may be calibrated and test results made more sensitive and reliable. |