Antiphospholipid Syndrome Support Group

Hi,
I have heard that the home testing machines can be inaccurate. I dont know about the other issues you mentioned but have a wondeful APS support group that I am in and the moderator is extremely knowlegable about everything regarding APS and INRS testing and levels. If you want the group address let me know via a message and I will send it to you. He will be able to answer your question immediately.

Yes, finger stick machines can be inaccurate. However, after some careful consideration and check with various sources I recently received a home INR machine. The machines are simply a trending tool. I have not found them to be inaccurate, after months of comparing venous draws to finger sticks. This is a personal decision and I chose to get a machine of my own for home. It allows me much more freedom and I can check more frequently than I would if I was driving to a clinic all the time. If I ever don't feel it's accurate then I can always call my clinic and go in to have a venous draw done as well.

Thanks very much for the replies on this. I really appreciate learning from others who have this condition as well.

Though I don't have APS (I'm FVL Homozygous) I do, through my profession, work with an organization who represents all blood clot disorder patients (NATT).

Medical studies have shown that Home INR machines can be just as accurate as standard blood draws. Discovery Health did a topic on this during one of their medical CME events. Many Coumadin Clinics at the local hospital are slowly switching to using a INR machine in lieu of blood draw.

Yes there are limitations, especially when the INR is greatly elevated (4.5 or higher on certain brand machines) In this case, the machine may show a higher INR then the blood draw. Again, this is more isolated to a certain brand machine and not necessarily a problem with all Home INR test machines.

For the long-term patient like myself who is on life-long Coumadin therapy, the Home INR machine is the way to go. Though I don't have one (insurance doesn't cover), the Naval Hospital who takes my INR uses one. Here is a patient newsletter that my organization did back in Winter 2007/2008 on this topic:

http://www.stoptheclot.org/Newslet...

Here is a patient brochure about APS:

http://www.stoptheclot.org/natt_pu...

Some of the APS patients I know are on higher doses of Coumadin. I heard of one patient from Colorado who has to take 30mg daily to stay therapeutic.

Anyways, hopes this helps a little?

R/
Tom

Tom,
Thanks very much for your help and information. I really do appreciate you taking the time to do that.

Wow .. 30mgs daily of Coumadin! Uggh.. I thought I was high at 15mg/daily.

Thanks again!

I also read that somewhere, although I too have the finger test. My brother and I both have APS and also require almost 15mg to keep us theraputic, I'm not sure why. Tomorrow I have a appt. with a Rheumatologist that I found on the APS website who specializes in it maybe he'll know the answer to that.

Hi Abby,
Thanks very much for your reply and good luck on your Rheumatologist appt. I sure do like the finger stick test over the IV blood draw method for INR. Getting the result right away from the nurse sure beats having to wait in anticipation all day for the hospital to call back with my number!