The ethanol gelation test and thrombosis.

Intravascular fibrin formation takes place during thrombus formation or by activation of coagulation in circulating blood. Incorporation of fibrin in thrombi may be detected by usine 125I-labelled fibrinogen. Soluble fibrin may be present during thrombophilic states or during thromboembolic complications and diseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and may be detected and quantitated by various techniques such as N-terminal amino acid analysi, chromatographic procedures and so-called paracoagulation test, using ethanol or protamine sulfate. Finally, transformation of fibrinogen to fibrin may be indirectly assayed by quantitation of fibrinopeptide A released, by immunological technique. For routine purposes and especially in emergency situation, rapid and simple tests are required. In these circumstances, only the paracoagulation tests are at hand. Below, the present situation with regard to the ethanol gelation test (EGT) is outlined.