Coagulation Factors

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

Choosing Wisely

George presents “Medical Laboratory Scientists Choose Wisely” today, Friday, November 15 at the Clinical Laboratory Managers Association of Georgia and Alabama, hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Clinical Laboratory Management Symposium, UAB School of Health Professions. George’s talk describes the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation’s Choosing Wisely initiative. Click or tap here […]

Coagulation Factors

Assaying Factor Concentrates

A pre-publication article, Young G, Perry D, The International Prophylaxis Study Group (IPSG). Laboratory assay measurement of modified clotting factor concentrates: a review of the literature and recommendations for practice. J Thromb Haemostas pre-publication, 1-22-19 provides advice on how to measure extended half-life and B-domain-deleted factor concentrates VIII and IX. The article illustrates the wide […]

Bleeding Disorders

Coag Quandaries

George has attached Anne Paxton’s article, Navigating the Quandaries of Coagulation Testing, (click or tap) featuring Drs. Michael Laposata, Dot Adcock, and Kristi Smock. The article features the need for laboratory-clinician communication.

Anticoagulant Therapy

Quick Question: Extrinsic Pathway

Our September, 2018 Quick Question was a quiz with one correct answer addressing our knowledge of the coagulation cascade: Which coagulation factor is the first activated in the extrinsic pathway? With 144 responding, the answers were: Factor XII: 16 (11%) Factor IX: 9 (6%) Factor VII: 105 (73%) Prothrombin: 14 (10%) Congratulations to the overwhelming […]

Coagulation Factors

Minimally Prolonged PT: Solution

Referring to our post of August 10, 2018 entitled Minimally Prolonged PT, Dr. Laposata reviewed the patient’s consistently, though slightly prolonged, PT results, and considered a factor VII deficiency. It turns out the patient’s factor VII level was 40%, found also in some first-degree relatives. It may not be that a factor VII level of […]

Bleeding Disorders

Quick Question: Extrinsic Pathway

For our September, 2018 Quick Question, here is a simple quiz question with one correct answer. This is your opportunity to check your “coagulation casecade” knowledge. Feel free to check your undergraduate coag course notes or check with your coagulation consultant!

Coagulation Factors

Modified Nijmegen Bethesda Assay

On March 13, 2018. Precision BioLogic Inc., Dartmouth, NS, announced their development of a new approach to standardize and improve factor VIII inhibitor testing. Their press release (tap or click) referenced new data presented in a poster at the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Societies of North America, March 8–10, 2018 meeting, in San Diego, CA, USA. […]

Bleeding Disorders

Yet More on Reference Intervals

This is a follow-up comment from Bob Gosselin on Griselle Font-Bonet’s December 31 post about reference intervals. The original post drew many thoughtful and provocative comments from Dave McGlasson, and Drs. Ali Sadeghi-Khomami and Emmanuel Favaloro; consequently, it became so long that an add-on comment would make it unwieldly. Bob says these “last thoughts”… Lest […]

Bleeding Disorders

Undergrad Hemostasis Education

This June 29, 2016 note was posted by Patricia Boyer, MS, MLS, Program Director, Zablocki VAMC School of Medical Technology to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science educators bulletin board: I am working on my hemostasis curriculum, and I was wondering how many instructors teach coagulation using the multicomponent complexes–specifically the tenase and prothrombinase complexes concepts. This is my second year […]

Arterial Thrombosis

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George Fritsma is a medical laboratory scientist, educator, and author. George holds faculty appointments with Rutgers University and Michigan State University, and is a member of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, American Association of Clinical Chemists, and American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

Cheat Sheets from George

Quick Question