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FDA Approves Pradaxa for Children

Thanks to Dean Willett, Precision BioLogic Inc., for today’s heads-up for this FDA announcement [click] approving dabigatran etixalate [Pradaxa®] therapy for children 3 months–12 years who have experienced venous thromboembolic disease.

Anticoagulant Therapy

Acquired von Willebrand Syndrome [AVWS]

From Dr. Jasmina Aluwahlia, regarding detection of anti Von Willebrand factor antibodies. “Hello George, how does one screen for anti-VWF antibodies in a suspected case of acquired AVWS? We assay the VWF:Ag and VWF:GPIbR on a automated coagulometer. The VWF:GPIbR is based on a latex immunoassay. Is there any protocol that can be used on […]

Bleeding Disorders

Isolated Chronically Elevated D-dimer

I [Geo] have had a number of questions from people who report a chronically elevated D-dimer with no clinical associations or parallel positive laboratory assays. In many cases their original D-dimer was ordered in response to a clinical indication such as chest pain or possible C19 symptoms, and remained elevated long after the original event […]

Blue-closure Tube Shortage: Manual Citrate Solution

In response to the blue-closure tube shortage, I [Geo] contacted several colleagues who prepare or who used to prepare their own 3.2% [and pre-2000, 3.8%] sodium citrate solution for hemostasis specimens. Nearly all said that, like your grandmother, the recipe was just in their heads. Dr. Emanuel Favaloro, Sydney, NSW, dug into his laboratory archives […]

Specimen Management

FDA Statement: Blue-closure Tube Shortage

Thanks to colleague Mary Coleman for the heads-up introducing this FDA Statement: June 10, 2021 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] is aware that the U.S. is experiencing significant interruptions in the supply of sodium citrate blood specimen collection [light blue top] tubes because of an increase in demand and recent vendor supply challenges. […]

Specimen Management

More About the Blue-closure Tube Shortage

Thanks to Dennis Ernst, MT(ASCP), NCPT(NCCT), Director of the Center for Phlebotomy Education, for contacting BD and Greiner about the current sodium citrate tube shortage. Please refer to our May 17 post describing this issue and see comments from Dennis [which includes BD’s recommendations], and from Bob Gosselin, who surveyed several colleagues and learned of […]

Specimen Management

AACC Meeting in Atlanta Sep 26–30

Thanks to Sharon Verg Johnson, MBA, DLM(ASCP), Director, Hemostasis Regulatory Affairs, Sysmex America, Inc. for this heads-up: AACC is pleased to announce that the association has moved the location of its 2021 annual meeting from Anaheim, California to Atlanta, Georgia. The meeting dates have also been changed to one week later: September 26-30, 2021. California […]

June, 2021 Quick Question: Dabigatran Reversal Agent

Our June Quick Question opens additional discussion of the DOAC reversal agents as it asks, “What is the trademark name of the dabigatran reversal agent? Please click your answer and provide your experience with reversal agents in the comments section below.

Anticoagulant Therapy

May, 2021 Quick Question: Flaujeac Factor Response

Our May, 2021 Quick Question was a historical factor name challenge, “What is the more common name for Flaujeac factor?” The question drew 24 responses. We answered: Hageman factor: 21% [5] Fletcher factor: 4% [1] Fitzgerald factor: 58% [14]X Stuart factor: 13% [3] Fibrinogen: 4% [1] High molecular weight kininogen [HMWK] was given the name […]

Question About DOAC Side Effects

To our FF participants, a colleague asked whether Eliquis was associated with confusion. Have you observed any side effects for any of the DOACs other than the well-described risk of gastrointestinal or intracranial hemorrhage? Thank you for your response.

Anticoagulant Therapy

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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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