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May 15 Inhibitors Webinar

It’s not too late to register for Precision BioLogic’s May 15 webinar, “Update on FVIII Inhibitor Testing and Introduction to the CRYOcheck™ Factor VIII Inhibitor Kit,” by CDC‘s Connie H. Miller, PhD. The live webinar goes from 2–3 Wednesday afternoon.

Bleeding Disorders

More about Fibrinogen Effect on PT and PTT

Please refer to our January 22, 2018 discussion entitled Effect of Fibrinogen on PT and PTT, and especially to the recent comment from “Anders.” Please help Anders and our parcipants find authority for the comment, “In both the PT/INR and PTT pathways, fibrinogen is seldom the limiting factor. The functional fibrinogen level must be below […]

Screening Assays

77-YO Female Systemic Bleeding

George heard from a colleague who is looking for support on a provocative case. A 77-year old woman is experiencing systemic bleeding. Key laboratory findings: von Willebrand factor antigen: 200% von Willebrand factor activity by ristocetin cofactor: 100% Whole blood lumiaggregometry: no secretion (ATP release) to thrombin, ADP, collagen or arachidonic acid Could this be […]

Bleeding Disorders

Quick Question: Pregnant Woman with DVT

Here is our April, 2019 Quick Question, Adapted from Walenga JM. Chapter 35–Normal Hemostasis. In Keohane EM, Otto CN, Walenga JM. Rodak’s Hematology, Clinical Principles and Applications, 6th Edition, 2020. ISBN 978-0-323-53045-3. A 33-year-old pregnant woman developed deep vein thrombosis in her left leg. She reported a family history—her mother had an episode of superficial […]

Quick Question Archive

Hemophilia Review Articles

Two excellent review articles appear in the March entry of the online journal, Clinical Laboratory Science. They are: Smith LJ, Castellone DD, Nardi MA. Hemophilia: Where are we today? Clin Lab Sci 2019, ascls.118.001271; DOI: https://doi.org/10.29074/ascls.118.001271, and Smith LJ. Hemophilia. Clin Lab Sci 2019; ascls.118.001289; DOI: https://doi.org/10.29074/ascls.118.001289

Bleeding Disorders

New Antiplatelet Therapy

I’ve attached a pre-pub article describing a phase I trial of ACT017, a novel antiplatelet antibody fragment specific for glycoprotein VI, a platelet membrane collagen receptor. The manufacturers propose that ACT017 infusion can suppress platelet activity as part of coronary artery disease therapy with minimal bleeding risk. Clip or tap the citation for full information: […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Aspirin Efficacy in Primary Prevention

Poor old aspirin has again lost ground. Here’s an editorial from the January, 2019 issue of European Heart Journal describing a meta-analysis of aspirin’s lack of efficacy in subjects who have no cardiovascular disease risk factors: Valgimigh M. The Remarkable Story of a Wonder Drug, Which Now Comes to an End in the Primary Prevention […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Validation: Multiple Lots

George received this question for our quality assurance experts. When validating a procedure, do you work with a single lot or multiple lots?

Wichita Presentations

George provides two presentations at the Kansas State Clinical Laboratory Sciences–Wheatlands Clinical Laboratory Management Association annual meeting, April 16 and 17, 2019 at the Wichita Marriott Hotel, Wichita Kansas. George presents, “Aspirin, the 1899 Wonder Drug Lives Again” from 10–11 (click or tap for handout), and “Medical Laboratory Scientists Choose Wisely” from 1:30–2:30 (click or […]

Case: DVT During Pregnancy

Our Quick Question case study for April, 2019, is adapted from Chapter 35 of the March, 2019 6th edition of Rodak’s Hematology, Clinical Principles and Applications: A 33-year-old pregnant woman developed deep vein thrombosis in her left leg. She reported a family history–her mother had an episode of superficial thrombophlebitis and her brother had experienced […]

Lupus Anticoagulant

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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.

Cheat Sheets from George

Quick Question