Effects of telavancin on coagulation test results

Background: The lipoglycopeptide antibiotic, telavancin, may interfere with some laboratory coagulation tests including prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Objective: To evaluate the effects of telavancin on PT and aPTT assays in common use. Methods: Pooled normal human plasma was spiked with telavancin 10, 20, 100 or 200 mu g/ml (equivalent to trough, 2 x trough, peak and 2 x peak clinical plasma concentrations, respectively) or diluent control (0.9% sodium chloride). Samples were analysed using 16 PT reagents and seven aPTT reagents. Results: Telavancin 200 mu g/ml (corresponding to 2 x peak clinical plasma concentration), produced significant PT prolongation (> 9% difference vs. diluent control) with all the 16 PT reagents (range 12% to > 600%). At lower telavancin concentrations, PT prolongation was dose-dependent and varied among reagents, but appeared greatest with preparations containing recombinant tissue factor. With telavancin 10 mu g/ml (equivalent to trough), PT prolongation was 10% with HemosIL (R) PT-Fibrinogen Recombinant, while ranging from 5% to -1% with all other reagents. Significant (> 34% difference vs. baseline) and dose-dependent aPTT prolongation was observed with all the seven reagents in samples spiked with telavancin 100 or 200 mu g/ml (range 65-142% at 200 mu g/ml). aPTT reagents containing a silica activator appeared to be more sensitive to telavancin interference. Telavancin 10 mu g/ml was not associated with increased aPTT with any of the reagents tested. Conclusions: Telavancin has the potential to prolong both PT and aPTT in vitro. It is recommended that samples for PT or aPTT be obtained just prior to a telavancin dose (trough).