Quick Question Archive

Quick Question: Specimen Integrity Response

Our December, 2018 Quick Question on specimen integrity drew 46 responses. The question was, “How do you manage a plasma that appears to have fibrin strands?” Here are the answers: a. Reject and request a redraw: 41 (89%) b. Perform requested assay and report if non-critical: 1 (2%) c. Perform factor assays to confirm specimen […]

Quick Question Archive

Quick Question: Specimen Integrity

In follow-up to a December 1, 2018 post, Reference Lab Specimen Integrity, our December, 2018 Quick Question asks, “How do you manage a plasma that appears to have fibrin strands?” In case no answer matches your protocol, please provide a response below. Here is a response from Robyn Coleman: We would reject any sample for […]

Quick Question Archive

Quick Question: Measuring ASA Response Results

Our November, 2018 Quick Question asked, “How do you measure aspirin response?” The question attracted a gratifying 71 answers to a relatively esoteric question. Here are the responses: a. Siemens PFA-100: 19 (27%) b. Werfen Accriva VerifyNow Aspirin 19 (27%) c. Light transmittance aggregometry 6 (8%) d. Whole blood impedance aggregometry 8 (11%) e. AspirinWorks […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Quick Question: Normalizing DRVVT Ratio Results

For our October, 2018 Quick Question we asked, “For lupus anticoagulant testing, how do you express the DRVVT screen and confirm results?” Here are the answers from 36 respondents: a. Ratio of screen to confirm: 17 = 47% b. Ratio of screen to confirm normalized to MRI: 17 = 47% c. Difference of screen and […]

Quick Question Archive

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

August, 2018 Quick Question

Here are the results of our August, 2018 Quick Question, answered by 93 participants:. Stem: What is the FDA-approved assay for anti-Xa DOACs? a. Thrombin time: 12% (11) b. Prothrombin time: 8% (7) c. Partial thromboplastin time: 8% (7) d. Chromogenic anti-Xa using DOAC calibrators: 72% (68) This was perhaps a “trick” question. The US […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Quick Question: DOAC Measurement

Please take a look at our August, 2018 Quick Question, “What is the FDA-approved assay for anti-Xa DOACs?” This month’s question is a quiz question with one correct answer, and not a survey. Please make your selection, responses are anonymous.

Anticoagulant Therapy

July, 2018 Quick Question: Factor IX Assay Method

Here are the results of our July, 2018 Quick Question, “How do you measure factor IX therapy?” Clot-based factor assay (34) 83% Immunoassay (4) 10% Chromogenic substrate (3) 7% We had 41 respondents. Although there are a few chromogenic substrate-based factor IX assays available worldwide, none has been approved by the US FDA, though two […]

Bleeding Disorders

July Quick Question: Factor IX Assay

Please refer to our July, 2018 Quick Question, which looks a lot like our June question about factor VIII assays. The new question asks about your approach to factor IX assays, and relates to concerns for accuracy when measuring the extended half-life factor IX concentrates.

Bleeding Disorders

Quick Question: Factor VIII Assay

Here are the unsurprising resuts of our June, 2018 Quick Question, “How do you measure factor VIII therapy?” Clot-based factor assay: 82% (36) Immunoassay: 5% (2) Chromogenic substrate: 14% (6) Dave McGlasson suggested this question because our current clot-based methods are unreliable when assaying for synthetic B-domain deleted and extended half-life preparations, many of which […]

Bleeding Disorders

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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

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