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Platelet Function Controls

A colleague asked George, can you please suggest a commercial normal and abnormal control one can use to test an assay that claims to distinguish normal from abnormal platelet function. Alternatively, suggest also please for preparing controls for research testing purposes. Specifically, how can we go about preparing a normal activity platelet control and an […]

Platelet Function Testing

Coagulation Studies for the Ebola Patient

Pat Doleski suggests that the recommended Ebola patient coagulation test is the PT. What is the hemorrhagic process that occurs in the Ebola patient that the PT is the best screening to direct the use of blood products? We are in the process of setting up a secure ER lab specifically for this type of […]

Bleeding Disorders

Theranos

The January 1, 2015 online issue of Fortune features a video interview of Elizabeth Holmes in its “Most Powerful Women” section. Holmes founded and is CEO of Theranos, a 2003 Palo Alto laboratory service. Theranos offers a menu of over 200 assays, including PT, PTT, and D-dimer, all performed on less than 500 µL of […]

Specimen Management

Vetigel

The January 1, 2015 issue of Fortune contains a brief article about Vetigel, which the writer describes as a “liquid bandage.” Vetigel, under development by Suneris, is initially targeted to the veterinary market, but will become available to the military, first responders, and eventually the public pending FDA clearance. Vetigel is a vegetable product that, […]

Bleeding Disorders

Transfusion News

Thanks to John Gerlach, PhD, Michigan State University for introducing us to Transfusion News, supported by Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. I’ve added Transfusion News to our Links page.

Bleeding Disorders

Rivaroxaban Side-Effects

I spoke with an acquaintance who started on rivaroxaban (Xarelto) a few weeks ago for DVT therapy. He reported transient cognition changes such as slowed speech that resolved when he discontinued the drug. Has any of our subscribers experienced or heard reports of this?

Anticoagulant Therapy

Don’t Worry–Be Happy

Donna Castellone of New York Presbyterian posted an interesting discussion of emotional stress and inflammatory markers in her column, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” linked here.

Arterial Thrombosis

More on Unexplained Elevated D-dimer

Here is an update to Tony Tang’s D-dimer post from Fritsma Factor technical advisor Donna Castellone, QA Manager, Specialty Testing and Supervisor, Special Coagulation and Hematology at New York Presbyterian-Columbia. Donna writes, my input on TEG is limited, however I agree with what you said. Tony can also look at factor V and protein C to […]

Quick Question: Mixing Studies

From Herb Crown, St. Louis University Hospital Coagulation Reference Laboratory: George, for the mixing study cutoff question, I answered “other” because, as I have written on a number of occasions, we have a reference range for our control and patient mixing studies that is different than our routine aPTT. I hope I did not confuse […]

Unexplained Elevated D-dimer

From Tony Tang: Dear George, recently we met a 1 year old child with serious hepatitis, the results of coagulation tests were as follows: PT: 26s, APTT: 56s, FIB: 1.07 g/L, TT: 23s, D-dimer: greater than 80 ug/mL FEU, FDP: greater than 360 ug/mL, AT-III: 54%, factor VIII: 212%, PLT count: 102 X 109/L (and […]

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George Fritsma is a medical laboratory scientist, educator, and author. George is a member of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, the International Society for Laboratory Hematology, and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

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