Reporting PT in Seconds and INR

There is an interesting article in the February issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Trippodi A, Chantarangkul V, Mannucci PM. The international normalized ratio to prioritize patients for liver transplantation: problems and possible solutions. J Thrombos haemostas 2008;6:243-8. I’m led to provide a clinical discussion of reporting conventions for the prothrombin time test […]

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Mar 10 2008

george

Confusing Test Names Involving II, V, and X

We also try to confuse clinicians with our use of II, V, and X as Sue Osier mentioned. If you see an order for factor X, chances are the clinician wanted an anti-Xa heparin assay, although some institutions are using a chromogenic factor X as a PT substitute when the PT is not reliable. Likewise, an isolated order for factor V or factor […]

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Confusing Test Names Involving the Letter C

Anyone who works in a special coagulation laboratory has received an isolated order for protein C. A protein C activity assay alone makes little sense, and we know the order was probably erroneous. This is our fault for using confusing test names. Is it protein C, activated protein C resistance (APCR), or C-reactive protein? These […]

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How to Discontinue FDPs

At our institution we currently offer a quantitative D-dimer using the Sysmex CA-1500, and a fibrin degredation products assay (FDP, Remel Thrombo-Wellco Test). What can I say to our physicians to convince them to allow us to stop offering the FDP, and to rely on the D-dimer (along with the platelet count, PT, PTT and […]

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Von Willebrand Disease Tests

We are testing two ELISA kits, one with a monoclonal antibody on the platelet directed at the portion of the VWF that binds the platelet and the other is the collagen binding assay. We often have trouble with our ristocetin cofactor assay. Do you, or does anybody, have any preferences or personal experience with either […]

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Focus: Information Literacy

One of my “side” jobs is continuing education editor for Clinical Laboratory Science, the journal of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. This has nothing to do with hemostasis, but I wanted to draw your attention to a well-written and exceptionally practical focus series, “Information Literacy,” appearing in the Winter, 2008 issue. The series […]

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How Do Factor VIII or IX Deficiency Cause Bleeding?

Hi George, Thank you, thank you, thank You for your educational materials. I have been a tech for 20-some years but this is my first year in special coag and your lectures have helped me tremendously. From the cell-based coagulation lectures, I am having trouble understanding why the TF/VIIa route does not compensate for […]

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Qualitative and Quantitative D-dimer

On Thursday, February 21, 2008, Colleen Marinucci from Elmendorf AFB wrote: We perform the SimpliRED® qualitative d-dimer assay (AGEN Biomedical Ltd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, distributed in the USA by American Diagnostica, Inc, Stamford, CT). Our internal med docs wondered why a patient with a small pulmonary embolism tested negative. This patient has, among other problems; […]

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Clinical Lab Science Recruitment

This has little to do with hemostasis, but I’m attending the Clinical Laboratory Educators’ Conference in Savannah, GA this week, and one topic that continues to come up is recruitment. The clinical laboratory science field faces increased personnel demands and a 32% vacancy rate, according to Paul Epner, director of Dealthcare Improvement Initiatives, Abbott Diagnostics. […]

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Lipoprotein (a) and Cardiovascular Risk

Along with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipoprotein (a) [LP (a)] is an independent atherosclerosis risk factor in middle-aged men. I’m currently preparing a series of thrombophilia modules for the web site, prompting me to “bone up” on LP (a), which has some peculiar characteristics. LP (a) is a lipoprotein similar to LDL-C but containing […]

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All Posts

Reporting PT in Seconds and INR

Confusing Test Names Involving II, V, and X

Confusing Test Names Involving the Letter C

How to Discontinue FDPs

Von Willebrand Disease Tests

Focus: Information Literacy

How Do Factor VIII or IX Deficiency Cause Bleeding?

Qualitative and Quantitative D-dimer

Clinical Lab Science Recruitment

Lipoprotein (a) and Cardiovascular Risk

George Fritsma MS MLS

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