Assessment of a new instrument (Coag-A-Mate X2) for performing global clotting tests and specific factor assays.

Coag-A-Mate X2 (General Diagnostics) is an automated photo-optical system for detection of clots, which can be used for measuring prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and assaying coagulation factors. We have compared results obtained with this instrument with those obtained by the manual method used routinely in our specialized laboratory. The instrumental results showed good precision (PT: between-assay CV from 1.3 to 3.0, APTT: from 2.2 to 3.1), and high degree of correlation with the manual results (for PT r = 0.99, for APTT r = 0.95). There was also good correlation between the two methods (0.98-0.99) for factor assays (V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII). High output, reproducibility, comparability and flexibility make this instrument suitable for both clinical and research laboratories.