Effect of freezing plasma at -20°C for 2 weeks on prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, dilute Russell viper venom time, activated protein C resistance, and D-dimer levels

To assess the impact of preanalytical variables of time and temperature on prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), dilute Russell viper venom time (DRVVT), activated protein C resistance (APCR), and d-dimer, samples from 23 healthy individuals and 18 patients having coagulopathy with known abnormal PT and aPTT were collected. Plasma from each individual was separately pooled and aliquoted; the first 2 aliquots were stored at room temperature then analyzed at 2 hours (baseline) and 4 hours postcollection. The remaining aliquots were stored at −20°C and thawed for analysis at 48 hours, 1, and 2 weeks. In both healthy participants and participants with coagulopathy, PT, aPTT, APCR, DRVVT, and D-dimer had no significant changes at 4 and 48 hours, and 1 and 2 weeks postcollection compared to baseline, or the changes were less than 10%. The results indicate PT, aPTT, DRVVT, APCR, and d-dimer can be stored for 2 weeks at −20°C without compromising clinical interpretation in both healthy individuals and individuals with coagulopathy. Increasing storage time will facilitate sample processing from off-site clinics.