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Ultracentrifugation for Lipemia

From Tanja Skierka: I have been searching for a reference that supports the use of ultracentrifugation in lipemic samples for prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and fibrinogen (FG) tests. We are using a Siemens BCS with optical detection and have very good results with their 570 nm alternative for lipemic samples. However, we have […]

Managing the Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma and Shock

George presented Managing the Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma and Shock on Friday, July 29, 2:30–3:30 PM at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta, GA during the ASCLS annual meeting. The handout is attached below, in case you would like to download or print: Managing the Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma and Shock Handout

Ticagrelor Release

The US FDA released Ticagrelor (Brilinta®, Astra-Zeneca) yesterday. This is the fourth oral anti-platelet drug designed to be used with low-dose aspirin, the others are ticlopidine, (Ticlid®, Roche), clopidogrel (Plavix®, Bristol-Meyers-Squibb), and prasugrel (Effient®, Lilly). See the linked article from The Heart, which provides dosing requirements and safety and efficacy data. Geo.

Validating the ISI

From “swagner.” George, can you please describe how to calculate and validate a reagent-analyzer specific prothrombin time (PT) reagent international sensitivity index (ISI)? QMP-LS, Ontario’s mandatory proficiency testing program, publishes information on reagent validation. Included is the requirement to establish an analyzer and reagent-specific ISI using a certified reference plasma. I’m using Stago’s Etaloquick® and […]

New and Updated Audio Modules

We now offer 28 audio learning modules, including five that are new, on most coagulation topics, ranging from basic to advanced. All 28 modules have been recently updated, and all require approximately 30 minutes to complete. The Colorado Association for Continuing Medical Laboratory Education (CACMLE) is a provider for several continuing medical education agencies, and for $6.00 US, […]

ACT Target Range

Most of us probably know that anesthetists use the activated coagulation time (ACT) to monitor unfractionated heparin therapy during coronary bypass graft surgery, and that the heparin plasma concentration is raised to 2.5 units/mL during surgery. The ACT is a time-honored adaptation of the Lee-White clotting time in which fresh whole blood is pipetted to […]

Symposia Update

I’ve just updated our Conferences and Symposia page with some new meetings. Next week is the AACC/ASCLS annual meeting and Clinical Laboratory Expo at the convention center in Atlanta, Georgia. The ASCLS program includes coag topics “Use of the Anti-Xa Assay to Dose UFH,” Wed, 2:15 by Karen Wrona; “Serious Transfusion Reactions,” Wed, 3:30, by Dr. Marisa Marques, “The […]

New: Quick Guide to Renal Disease Testing

This has nothing to do with hemostasis, however by way of blatant self-promotion, I’d like to announce the release of Fritsma GA, Quick Guide to Renal Disease Testing, 2011, AACC Press, Washington, DC. This is the sixth in our series of Quick Guides, all pocket handbooks written by University of Alabama at Birmingham faculty, and will […]

Discard Tube?

I was aked by my lab director if there is a valid reason for drawing a 3-5 mL discard tube before drawing a platelet function assay tube? After a limited search, I can find no information supporting the theory of drawing a discard tube before any coagulation test. What are your thoughts? Hello, and thank […]

Quick Question: Monitoring Pradaxa

Dabigatran (Pradaxa®, Boehringer-Ingelheim) was approved in 2008 in Europe and Canada for prevention of venous thromboembolic disease following hip- or knee-replacement surgery and cleared by the US FDA for prevention of ischemic stroke in atrial fibrillation in October, 2010. Our latest quick question asks, how do you intend to monitor it? As you answer, if you […]

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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.

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