Plasminogen Deficiency and Ligneous Conjunctivitis

Dr. Amy Shapiro, Medical Director and CEO, Innovative Hematology & Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center, provided a THSNA “rare disorders presentation, Diagnosing plasminogen deficiency–clinical and laboratory considerations. Abstract: Type 1 plasminogen deficiency (PLGD) or hypoplasminogenemia is an ultrarare disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the PLG, resulting in decreased functional and antigenic plasminogen levels. PLGD […]

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Thrombophilia

Apr 4 2026

george

Mixing Study with Shortened Incubated PTT

Here is a paraphrase of a recent question: “What accounts for a shortened post-incubation PTT compared to the immediate mix result?” Example: Patient PTT: 50 s Commercial PNP PTT: 30 s Immediate mix result PTT: 40 s 2-h Incubated result PTT: 37 s Frequent expert contributor Dave McGlasson suggests the patient’s plasma should be checked […]

Mixing Studies

April 2026 Cheat Sheet

Click here to read our April 2026 Cheat Sheet. If you would like to receive your own “push” Cheat Sheet by email, please apply using the form on the right. The emailed Cheat Sheet adds the list of March posts at the bottom.

Cheat Sheets

April 2026 QQ: VWF Activity

Our April 2026 QQ, “How do you measure VWF activity,” reprises our February 2023 QQ that asked: “What VWF Activity Assay do you use?” Discussions at the March 2026 THSNA meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA, have prompted me (Geo) to learn if our choices have changed in three years. We await new data for the […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Mar 28 2026

george

March 2026 QQ: LAC Assay

Our March 2026 Quick Question was a poll that asked: “How do you test for LAC when the patient is on a DOAC?” Our 19 respondents answered: Don’t test: 3 (15%) Go ahead and test: 2 (11%) Use a DOAC neutralizer: 12 (63%) Test only for anticardiolipin antibody and anti-Β2GP1: 2 (11%) The DOAC neutralizers […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Mar 24 2026

george

Global Anticoagulant Supply

Here is an open-access editorial describing a critical worldwide shortage of safe therapeutic anticoagulants. Fan BE, Yee Tang JK, Favaloro EJ. Safeguarding global anticoagulant supply and access. J Thromb Haemost. 2026:S1538-7836(26)00134-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2026.02.017. PMID: 41791674. Abstract Anticoagulants are essential to healthcare, yet their global supply is inherently fragile. Reliance on animal-derived heparin creates vulnerability to […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Mar 24 2026

george

Review: Normal V. Elevated D-dimers and “D-dimeritis”

Here’s a thought-provoking 2022 D-dimer review available from your medical library: Thachil J, Favaloro EJ, Lippi G. D-dimers-“normal” levels versus elevated levels due to a range of conditions, including “D-dimeritis,” inflammation, thromboembolism, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and COVID-19. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2022;48(6):672–9. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1748193. PMID: 35803265. Abstract D-dimers reflect a breakdown product of fibrin. The current […]

Fibrinolysis

Case Study: VWF Inhibitors in Brothers

This open-access article describes inhibitor formation in two brothers who were subjects in a Wilate® study: Djambas Khayat C, Pavlova A, Werner S, Knaub S, Sidonio RF Jr. von Willebrand factor (VWF) inhibitors in two brothers with von Willebrand disease: a case report. TH Open. 2025;9:a26069625. doi: 10.1055/a-2606-9625. PMID: 40673043; PMCID: PMC12265396. Abstract The development […]

Bleeding Disorders

Meta-analysis: BAT in VWD Dx

At the March 18–21, 2026 THSNA meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA, there were several oral and poster presentations on VWD symptoms, management, and laboratory diagnosis and monitoring. Here is an open-access meta-analysis on BAT efficacy in VWD: Kalot MA, Husainat N, Tayiem S, et al. Bleeding assessment tools in the diagnosis of VWD in adults […]

Bleeding Disorders

Review and History: Protamine and Gene Therapy

Here is a provocative article available from your medical library: Thachil J. Protamine–the journey from DNA to heparin neutralization to gene therapy. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2022;48:240-243. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1736574. PMID: 34729729. Abstract Protamine is now well recognized as a key heparin-neutralizing agent. However, protamine was discovered over a century ago, during experiments performed to uncover the […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

All Posts

Plasminogen Deficiency and Ligneous Conjunctivitis

Mixing Study with Shortened Incubated PTT

April 2026 Cheat Sheet

April 2026 QQ: VWF Activity

March 2026 QQ: LAC Assay

Global Anticoagulant Supply

Review: Normal V. Elevated D-dimers and “D-dimeritis”

Case Study: VWF Inhibitors in Brothers

Meta-analysis: BAT in VWD Dx

Review and History: Protamine and Gene Therapy

George Fritsma MS MLS

Cheat Sheets from George

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