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Geomean: Additional Information

From Hillary Thurman: Here is some additional information, in response to Bob Gosselin’s 11-6-21 response: The RIs currently in use are the manufacturer’s suggested ranges. Each site collected screened normal samples and EP Evaluator was utilized to ensure the patient population did not fall outside this range. Each site (there are seven) currently has one […]

Geomean: Instrument Specific or System-Wide?

Hillary Thurman is looking for some insight, She writes, “We have recently standardized hemostasis instruments across our system. The rest of the system has been using a combined geometric mean for their PT reagent (same lot, same instruments), but my site has never been involved in this. In addition, they do not change the geomean […]

JTH World Thrombosis Day Virtual Issue

The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis has released a virtual access Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis issue devoted to World Thrombosis Day, observed on October 13, 2021. Click here to access the issue, which features a number of open access articles.

November 2021 Cheat Sheet

Here is our November 2021 Cheat Sheet reviewing our October posts and announcing November events. The Cheat Sheet is pushed to our participants.

Bioport

Bioport, founded in 2002, is Atlantic Canada’s largest Health and Life Science event, delivered virtually, November 2–5. Click here for the schedule and registration.

November 2021 Quick Question: Case Study, Prolonged PTT

Our November 2021 Quick Question involves a 3-year-old female patient with no bleeding history whose pre-op PT and PTT results were PT 13.3 seconds [RI 12-6–14.6] and PTT 51 seconds [RI 25–35] and asks what is the most likely coagulation factor deficiency. Please select your answer and add your comments below.

October, 2021 Quick Question: Blue-top Tube Shortage

Our October 2021 Quick Question asked, “How are you managing the blue-top tube shortage?” We had a brisk response with 22 participants answering as follows: We have seen no shortage: 32% [7] Purchase control plasmas: 0% Alternate tube source: 41% [9] Prep our own tubes: 9% [2] Reduce coag orders. 18% [4] Although a third […]

Quick Question Archive

Hemostasis in Selected Populations

In Keohane EM, Otto CN, Walenga JM: Rodak’s Hematology; Clinical Principles and Applications, Sixth Edition, 2020, Dr. Linda Goossen provides a timely and clinically significant chapter, “Hematology and Hemostasis in the Pediatric, Geriatric, and Pregnant Populations.’ Owing to next-generation sequencing, the In-Vitro Diagnostics world continues to partition reference intervals, therapeutic target ranges, and treatments to […]

Isolated Chronically Elevated D-dimer: Reprise

Fritsma Factor continues to receive questions from individuals who report continuing elevated D-dimer concentration reports in the absence of thrombotic disease. I refer us to my recent post, Isolated Chronically Elevated D-dimer, which provides the explanations for this finding.

Primary CVD Disease: Is Low Dose ASA Effective?

Thanks to Dean Willett, Precision BioLogic Inc, for pointing me to this October 12, 2021 US Preventive Services Task Force release, “Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease: Preventive Medication,” which recommends against daily low-dose aspirin as a means to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, ischemic stroke, and colorectal cancer regardless of age or comorbities. […]

Antiplatelet 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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