A fibrinogen activity test is also known as a Factor I Activity. It’s used to determine the level of fibrinogen in your blood. Fibrinogen, or factor I, is a blood plasma protein that’s made in the liver. Fibrinogen is one of 13 coagulation factors responsible for normal blood clotting.

When you start to bleed, your body initiates a process called the coagulation cascade, or clotting cascade. This process causes coagulation factors to combine and produce a clot that’ll stop the bleeding.

If you don’t have enough fibrinogen or if the cascade isn’t working normally, clots will have difficulty forming. This can cause excessive bleeding.

A fibrinogen activity test may be ordered alone or as part of a series of tests to determine the cause of abnormal bleeding.

Your doctor may order a fibrinogen activity test if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:

  • excessive bruising
  • excessive bleeding from the gums
  • frequent nosebleeds
  • hemorrhage of the gastrointestinal tract
  • blood in the urine
  • blood in the stool
  • bleeding in the head
  • rupture of the spleen

Tests may also be ordered if you have:

  • abnormal results from a prothrombin time test or partial thromboplastin time test
  • symptoms of disseminated intravascular coagulation, which is a condition in which small clots form throughout the body
  • signs of an abnormal breakdown of fibrinogen (fibrinolysis)
  • a possible acquired or inherited factor deficiency that affects how your blood clots

There are no special preparations necessary for this test. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking certain medications before this test. It’s very important that you inform your doctor if you’re taking any blood thinners.

A healthcare professional will take a sample of blood from your arm. They’ll clean the site with a swab of rubbing alcohol. Then, they’ll insert the needle into a vein, and a tube will be attached to collect the blood.

The needle will be removed when enough blood has been drawn. The site will then be covered with a gauze pad, and the sample will be sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Normal results

The normal level of fibrinogen in the blood is between 2 to 4 grams per liter.

Abnormal results

Abnormal results may be higher or lower than the reference range. Abnormal results can be caused by:

  • excessive fibrinogen use
  • acquired or inherited fibrinogen deficiency
  • abnormal fibrinolysis
  • hemorrhage

The three types of fibrinogen deficiency are afibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and dysfibrinogenemia.

Afibrinogenemia

Afibrinogenemia is the total absence of fibrinogen. This disorder affects 5 out of every 10 million people. This disorder causes the most severe bleeding out of the three forms of fibrinogen deficiency.

Hypofibrinogenemia

Hypofibrinogenemia is an abnormally low level of fibrinogen. In this case, the test would show a level between 0.2 and 0.8 grams per liter. This form of the deficiency is less common than afibrinogenemia, and it can cause mild to severe bleeding.

Dysfibrinogenemia

Dysfibrinogenemia is a condition in which fibrinogen levels are normal, but the protein doesn’t function properly. This disease can be congenital (from birth) or acquired. The acquired form is more common.

Dysfibrinogenemia affects only about one in every 1 million people. The condition may cause bleeding or thrombosis. Bleeding is more common.

As with any blood test, there are minimal risks. These include the following:

  • You may have minor bruising at the needle site.
  • In very rare cases, the vein may also become swollen after blood is drawn. Applying a warm compress several times per day can treat this condition, which is known as phlebitis.
  • Ongoing bleeding could be a problem if you have a bleeding disorder or if you’re taking blood thinners, like warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin.
  • Puncture site infection is another potential complication, noted by red swelling and possible pus formation.

If you have a fibrinogen deficiency, your doctor may prescribe factor replacement treatment to control or stop the bleeding. This involves receiving fibrinogen blood products or substitutes through your veins.

This form of treatment should be used to increase your fibrinogen level to 1 gram per liter if you’re experiencing mild bleeding. If you’re having severe bleeding or undergoing surgery, your levels should be increased to 2 grams per liter.

Fibrinogen concentrate may also be administered at the following times:

  • during surgery
  • during delivery or after childbirth
  • before dental surgery
  • after trauma
  • to prevent bleeding

A fibrinogen activity test can tell you if you have a fibrinogen deficiency. But a deficiency isn’t the only reason for an abnormal test result. Fibrinogen helps blood clot, so a deficiency may make it more difficult for your body to heal after surgery, trauma, childbirth, and injury.

There are different types of fibrinogen deficiencies. The fibrinogen activity test requires you to have your blood drawn so the doctor can conduct tests to determine which type of deficiency you may have.