All Posts

A Molecular Approach to Assess Platelet Hyperreactivity

Friend Ed Groenendal forwarded this UPI summary of a molecular approach correlating evidence of hyperresponsive platelets to major adverse cardiac or limb events. The investigators started with aggregometry-defined platelet hyperreactivity to apply a transcriptome-based platelet reactivity expression score (PRESS). Click below to see the detailed open-access article describing the development and application of the PRESS. […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Measuring Current Hemophilia A and B Therapy

Click here for a comprehensive open-access review of the means for measuring current hemophilia A and B therapy: Bowyer AE, Gosselin RC. Factor VIII and factor IX activity measurements for hemophilia diagnosis and related treatments. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2023;49:609–20. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1758870. PMID: 36473488; PMCID: PMC10421651.

Bleeding Disorders

July 2024 Cheat Sheet

Attached is your July 2024 Cheat Sheet. Watch for your copy in your email next week. Have a good August!

August 2024 Quick Question: Hemophilia Treatment

Several hemophilia A or B treatments are in development or have been approved since 2021. Among these are the “rebalancing” preparations that suppress control proteins such as tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), antithrombin (AT), or activated protein C (APC). Rebalancing preparations are designed to compensate for the bleeding tendencies in FVIII or FIX deficiency without […]

Bleeding Disorders

July 2024 Quick Question: Specimen Storage

Our July 2024 Quick Question, which drew 58 responses, asked, “How long may you store a specimen after collection for a PT test?” Our answers were: 1 hr: 2 (3%) 4 hrs: 19 (33%) 8 hrs: 7 (12%) 24 hrs: 30 (52%, the correct answer) This question draws attention to the March 2024 publication of […]

Quick Question Archive

Low Titer Group O Whole Blood in Trauma

Click here for a July 2024 CAP Today article describing the growing use of low titer group O whole blood in trauma and emergencies and its effect on trauma-induced coagulopathy.

Bleeding Disorders

Bioengineered FVIII: efanestocog alfa

Here is a richly illustrated open-access editorial of the development and physiologic function of efanesoctocog alfa (Altuviiio®, Sanofi), which features a half-life 4X that of current concentrates: Chowdary P. Bioengineered factor VIII–more innovation for Hemophilia A. N Engl J Med. 2024;391:277–82. doi: 10.1056/NEJMe2313795. PMID: 39018538.

Bleeding Disorders

Concizumab, A “Rebalancing Agent”

Below is the abstract of a 2019 presentation by Amy Shapiro MD, CEO and co-medical director of the Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, describing the rebalancing agent concizumab, approved as Alhemo® by Health Canada in March 2023 but rejected by the US FDA on May 5, 2023, with a request for […]

Bleeding Disorders

Fitusiran: A “Rebalancing Agent”

Fitusiran is an inhibitory double-stranded RNA (RNAi, also called small interfering RNA, siRNA). Fitusiran, termed a “rebalancing agent,” suppresses the nuclear production of antithrombin (AT) messenger RNA (mRNA). AT is a major coagulation control protein that binds and disables thrombin and FXa (also FIXa and FXIa to a lesser extent). By suppressing AT production, fitusiran […]

Bleeding Disorders

Your July, 2024 Cheat Sheet

Click here to download your July 2024 Fritsma Factor Cheat Sheet and also watch for your copy in your email this week. The Cheat Sheet provides links to our June 2024 activities.

Load more

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.

Cheat Sheets from George

Quick Question