Reprise: Validating POC INRs

Back to our April 24 anticoagulation clinic manager’s question about when to validate a prolonged point of care (POC) prothrombin time with international normalized ratio (PT/INR). George spoke with representatives of Roche Diagnostics, distributor ofCoag-U-Chek instruments, while attending the May 3–5 Thrombosis and Hemostasis Summit of North America meeting in Chicago. While Roche contends this is a local decision and […]

Comments (0)

Anticoagulant Therapy

May 3 2012

george

How to Validate an Aggregometer

From Rrosales: I am interested in purchasing a platelet aggregometer for our hematology lab, but we don’t have an existing instrument to compare it with. Some suggested H58 NCCLS (CLSI, does not really help) but I am used to validating an instrument with an old instrument (comparison/parallel testing). Can you tell me how to start the […]

Comments (2)

Platelet Function Testing

May 3 2012

george

Platelet Clumping in Sodium Citrate: Reprise

From Kathy Jacobs at Chronolog, Inc. Hi George, When a patient’s platelets clump in sodium citrate, is there another anticoagulant that can be used to allow LTA platelet aggregation testing? Thanx in advance, Kathy. Hi, Kathy, good to “hear” from you. You posted your question originally as a comment to a

Comments (2)

Platelet Function Testing

Apr 30 2012

george

Fibrinogen Assay Reportable Range

Dear George, I am using an STA Compact from Diagnostica Stago. I would like you to throw some light on validating the reportable range of the fibrinogen assay which is 60–1200 mg/dl. How can I obtain plasma with such high levels of fibrinogen? Regards, Dr. Shabnam Roohi. Hello, Dr. Roohi. For assistance I went to Dr. Ali […]

Factor Assays

Poll: How Many Monitor “Dabi” With ECT?

Good afternoon George! Are there any labs out there using the ecarin clotting time to test for dabigatran level? We know it doesn’t “need” to be monitored, but we also realize that there will be practitioners looking for such information. I have trialed the ECA-T kit from Diagnostica Stago with Aniara calibrators/controls. Thanks! Crystal Azevedo. Hi, […]

Comments (1)

Anticoagulant Therapy

Apr 27 2012

george

Hemolysis and Heparin Anti-Xa

A message from “Danagah:” Hi, George, How would you handle a sample for a chromogenic heparin anti-Xa assay if a patient is experiencing in vivo hemolysis and you cannot obtain a sample that is not hemolyzed? Would it make a difference as to the degree of hemolysis as to even accepting the sample? We reject […]

Comments (1)

Anticoagulant Therapy

Apr 24 2012

george

Quick Question Summary: LDTs

Here is a summary of our April, 2012 Quick Question: The US FDA is planning guidelines for regulating laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). What plans have you made in response? a. We are discontinuing all LDTs: 3 (15%) b. We didn’t know this is happening: 11 (55%) c. None, this will only apply to reference laboratory LDTs: 1 (5%) […]

Comments (0)

Quick Question Archive

Apr 24 2012

george

Ristocetin: False Positives?

From Laurel Veek at Mayo Labs: We have noticed lately when performing platelet aggregations that more often than not we have a curve that is slow to develop but between 2-3 minutes it aggregates or has an abnormal slope if it aggregates before 3 minutes. Ideally I would like the curve to be relatively flat at […]

Comments (0)

Platelet Function Testing

Apr 24 2012

george

POC: When to Validate High INRs

George received this question from an anticoagulation clinic coordinator last week: What value would you suggest to repeat a high fingerstick INR to a venous blood, >4.0, >5.0, etc. and why? Thank you. Here is the answer George provided: “Hello, and thank you for your question. Point of care (POC) instruments provide rapid PT/INR turnaround […]

Validation

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 22-28

Each April, Medical Laboratory Scientists worldwide celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week. This year, Fritsma Factor celebrates our week, April 22–28, by offering 34 online audio modules that provide a complete overview of hemostasis. These modules, fully updated, include six new modules, Platelet Production, Platelet Structure, Platelet Function, and Platelet Function Testing I, II, and III. All 34 modules are […]

Comments (0)

Events

All Posts

Reprise: Validating POC INRs

How to Validate an Aggregometer

Platelet Clumping in Sodium Citrate: Reprise

Fibrinogen Assay Reportable Range

Poll: How Many Monitor “Dabi” With ECT?

Hemolysis and Heparin Anti-Xa

Quick Question Summary: LDTs

Ristocetin: False Positives?

POC: When to Validate High INRs

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 22-28

George Fritsma MS MLS

Cheat Sheets from George

Questions or Comments?

Quick Question