INR

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Assay

International Normalised Ratio (INR)

Key Words

PT, INR, International Normalised Ratio

Specimen Collection

3.0ml Citrate (Green lid). 1.4ml Citrate for paediatric (Green lid). Fill to mark. Samples older than 24 hours on receipt cannot be processed.

Turnaround time

Less than 8 hours.

Test indications

Warfarin dose monitoring

Interferences

Lipaemia, haemolysis, anticoagulants, antiphospholipid syndrome. The antibiotic oritavancin has been shown to react with certain coagulation reagents; it may artificially prolong the PT INR for approximately 12 hours post-dosage. 

Reference Range

See table below

Minimum retesting interval

N/A

Target INR (BJH 1998 101: 374-387) Target Range
Atrial fibrillation 2.5 R 2.0 - 3.0 R
All single venous thromboembolic events 2.5 R 2.0 - 3.0 R
Recurrence of venous thromboembolism (Not on Warfarin Rx) 2.5 R 2.0 - 3.0 R
Recurrence of venous thromboembolism (On Warfarin Rx) 3.5 R 3.0 - 4.0 R
Anti Phospholipid Syndrome 3.5 R 3.0 - 4.0 R
Mechanical prosthetic heart valves 3.5 R 3.0 - 4.0 R