stollingstijd

Stollingstijd, literally “coagulation time” in Dutch, is the interval between a triggering event and the formation of a clot in blood. In clinical contexts it denotes a crude measure of the coagulation system’s ability to generate a clot under standardized conditions, typically assessed on a blood sample.

Historically, clotting time was measured with methods such as the Lee-White test, which records the time for whole blood to clot in a tube, sometimes with activators to standardize reactions. Today, explicit clotting-time tests are less common in routine use, having been largely superseded by specific coagulation assays like prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and thromboelastography, though the concept remains in some settings.

Interpretation: Prolonged stollingstijd may reflect deficiencies of coagulation factors, liver disease, vitamin K deficiency, anticoagulant therapy, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Shortened times are uncommon and may indicate hypercoagulability or, more often, technical or pre-analytical artifacts. The value is highly method-dependent and is not a standalone predictor of bleeding risk; it is interpreted with other tests and clinical information.

Factors affecting results include sample collection and handling (anticoagulant type, time to analysis, temperature), patient factors (age, medications), and laboratory technique. Pre-analytical errors can obscure true coagulation status, underscoring the need for standardized procedures when clotting time is used in assessment.

Modern practice relies on standardized tests (PT, aPTT, thromboelastography) for diagnostic and management decisions, with clotting time chiefly of historical or supplementary relevance.