Fig. 3

Examples of patients requiring an increased t-PA dose. Cases 15 and 16 (Additional file 1: Table S1) demonstrated above normal values in the clot amplitude (A5, A10) and maximum clot firmness (MCF) on both FIB-test and EX-test. The first of the TPA-tests was performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and hence contained t-PA 650 ng/mL blood. In both cases, the LT was significantly prolonged at 545 and 530 s. In the second of the TPA-tests, the t-PA dose was doubled by loading the test according to the manufacturer’s instructions but passing the blood through a second TPA-test tip prior to commencing the assay. In both cases, the increased t-PA dose resulted in a significant shortening of the LT to that approximating the upper level seen in healthy controls. In the final TPA-tests on the right-hand side in each case, the blood was passed first through a tip containing plasminogen 147 μg/mL immediately prior to the TPA-test tip and the assay being commenced. In both cases, an increased MCF and prolonged LT were observed compared to the response to the single t-PA dose on its own