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Chromogenic Factor VIII Assay FDA-Cleared

On Monday, July 20, Fritsma Factor sponsor Precision BioLogic Inc. announced US FDA 510[k] clearance of their CRYOcheck™ Chromogenic Factor VIII assay. The assay had been previously approved in Canada, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand. The assay boasts a test range from 0–200% FVIII using one standard curve and a limit of quantitation […]

Bleeding Disorders

Can Heparin Prevent Covid?

Thanks to George’s colleague Rodney Rohde, PhD, Texas State University, who posted this Contagion Live article by Grant M. Gallagher on LinkedIn entitled FDA-Approved Anticoagulant May Stop Coronavirus From Binding to Human Cells [click or tap]. This is a suprising and apparently authentic description of a non-antithrombotic Covid-preventative property of heparin, separate from heparin’s prophylactic […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

ISTH Poster: DRVVT Interferents

We recommend ISTH Poster PB0669, by Sadeghi-Khomami A, Lamont D, Boylan M, et al. Effects of Anticoagulants and Common Interfering Substances on Four Commercially Available dRVVT Assays.

Covid and Hemostasis Riley Article

For a succinct summary of hemostasis mechanisms and management in the Covid-19 infection, see Riley P. Pandemic care: The need for hemostasis testing in critically ill COVID-19 patients. MLO 5-20-20, accessed 7-7-20. Also visit Stago’s Edvantage Virtual University for their recent program, Thromboembolism in COVID-19: Laboratory Considerations by Michael P Gulseth, Pharm. D., BCPS, FMSHP, […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Covid Lab Table

Clickor tap here for a current table of Covid lab values.

July, 2020 Quick Question: Covid

Our July 2020 Quick Question highlights the hemostasis laboratory’s responsibility in monitoring the thrombotic aspects of Covid disease progression and recovery. Please provide your answer to “What assay does your lab use to monitor Covid-19 severity?” Feel free to add comments about this critical need using the Comments link or by emailing George at [email protected].

Arterial Thrombosis

June, 2020 QQ: Protein S Deficiency Results

Our June, 2020 Quick Question, “What assay does your lab use as an initial protein S screen?” attracted 37 answers, implying that not many of us are testing routinely for protein S deficiency. Here are the answers: Total protein S antigen 3% [1] Free protein S antigen 43% [16] Clot-based protein S activity: 30% [11] […]

Quick Question Archive

INR and HCT Case

I [Geo] received this question from a participant on June 29, 2020: If I am at 3 for my CoaguChek reading can my hematocrit be 45 or more? Does INR affect hematocrit? I have secondary polycythemia, had an unprovoked DVT and PE and take warfarin. I tet therapeutic phlebotomies, but just question if I’m at […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Familial Thrombosis Case

George received this question on June 28, 2020, and has secured permission to post here while withholding the correspondent’s identity. Hello, and thank you for the Fritsma Factor. Our family is of Eastern Europe parentage and we have a genetic clotting family history. Several occurences have shown up at age 28 after a preceeding event. […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Thrombokinase

A high school [secondary, prep school] teacher asked me [Geo] for a definition of thrombokinase. It sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it so I checked some online dictionaries. One wrote it was the same as platelet factor 3, which the dictionary misnamed platelet factor III; another said it was activated factor X, and yet […]

Coagulation Factors

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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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