Erratic PTT

George received a note from a colleague who has three separate specimens from a patient with prolonged partial thromboplastin times (PTTs) that further prolong as they stand at ambient temperature over periods of several minutes, for instance, 57s, 151s after 20 minutes, and 174s after 2 hours. Mixing studies consistently correct. They’ve tested them on […]

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Specimen Management

Aug 1 2013

george

LA Protocol

From Michelle Fahs, Mercy Hospital, St. Louis. Hi, we are going to start performing lupus anticoagulant testing and are planning to perform the PTT–LA and dilute Russell viper venom time (DRVVT). We use Stago instrumentation. We are still determining our testing algorithm from that point and I have a few questions for you. 1. Do you recommend […]

Thrombophilia

APCR Assays on Two STARs

From Linda Stang, Alberta Health Services: George–hoping you or one of your participants has some advice for us. We run the American Diagnostica (now Sekisui) kit for activated protein C resistance ratio (APCRE) on two of our Stago STAR Evolutions. The issue we are having is that one of the instruments reads slightly overall higher ratios (more […]

Thrombophilia

Pediatric Collection Tubes

From Diane Belliveau, Catholic Medical Center, Manchester, New Hampshire: Hi George, we have a special care nursury. I am looking for help in specimen handling/volumes for these special patients. Are there any new products for coagulation specimen collections on babies? Hi, Diane, the only 3.2% sodium citrate tube available for low-volume collection, 1 mL, is the Greiner Bio-one […]

Specimen Management

ASCLS, Houston, July 30–August 3

Join us at the joint AACC and ASCLS annual meeting and Clinical Laboratory Expo 2013 at the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Houston, Texas. The AACC meeting is July 28–August 1, ASCLS is July 30–August 3, and the Expo is Tuesday, July 30–Thursday, August 1. Coagulation presentations include: Wed, 10:30–12, Convention Center: Poster: McGlasson DL, Fritsma GA: Why […]

Events

More on “Unexpected DRVVT Results”

Here is a message about the dilute Russell viper venom time assay (DRVVT) for lupus anticoagulant (LA) from international expert Thomas Exner, HAEMATEX, Sydney, Australia: It was a pleasure to meet you at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) meeting recently. I would like to respond an interesting question raised on July 16, 2013 in your Fritsma Factor website. […]

Lupus Anticoagulant

Adjust D-D for HCT?

From Michael Suter, MT (ASCP) SH Senior Clinical Scientist, Hematology, Peace Health Laboratories, Springfield, Oregon. George, I am curious about your thoughts on how to best address the effect of high hematocrits (HCTs) on the quantitative latex D-dimer assays such as the Stago D-Di test. With high HCT samples, there is a relative decrease in plasma causing […]

Fibrinolysis

FVIII Inhibitor Assays

From Saravanan Vinayagam: We are trying to set up the factor VIII inhibitor assay on our ACL TOP analysers. Has anyone got an SOP or previous experience in validating inhibitor assay in an automated analysers? Thank you. Hello, Saravanan Vinayagam, and thank you for your post. I’m hoping that an IL technical representative will see this […]

Bleeding Disorders

Kcentra or Profilnine?

From Jane Bossart: Any thoughts on whether Kcentra® (Behring CSL) will be better than Profilnine® (Grifols)? It seems there have been no head to head comparison yet. Hello, Jane, and thank you for your question. Although non-activated prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) and sometimes recombinant activated factor VII have been used off-label in conjunction with vitamin K […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Jul 16 2013

george

Does Riva Affect Thrombophilia Tests?

A message from Crystal Azevedo, Eastern Maine Healthcare System: Hello George, I was wondering if you or your colleagues are familiar with the interfering effects of rivaroxaban on tests for thrombophilia? I am testing a sample of plasma where the prescribed dose is 15 mg twice per day, and most of the test results are suspect. Thanks […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

All Posts

Erratic PTT

LA Protocol

APCR Assays on Two STARs

Pediatric Collection Tubes

ASCLS, Houston, July 30–August 3

More on “Unexpected DRVVT Results”

Adjust D-D for HCT?

FVIII Inhibitor Assays

Kcentra or Profilnine?

Does Riva Affect Thrombophilia Tests?

George Fritsma MS MLS

Cheat Sheets from George

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