Quick Question Archive

January 2023 Quick Question: Tranexamic Acid

On October 25, 2022, I [Geo] had total knee replacement surgery. Just before becoming unconscious, I asked the anesthesiologist what was in the IV. I was surprised to learn one of my therapeutics was tranexamic acid [TXA], whose purpose was to control bleeding. TXA has been around for a long time, but I’m curious about […]

Quick Question Archive

December 2022 Quick Question: Thrombosis Risk Factor Profile Response

Welcome to 2023. Our December 2022 Quick Question, which drew 45 responses, asks, “What parameter is NOT part of your thrombosis risk factor profile? The answers were: Antithrombin [1, 3%] Protein C [3, 7% ] Protein S [1, 2%] Prothrombin 20210 mutation [1, 3%] Lipoprotein [a] [38, 85%] As anticipated, most of us have dropped, […]

Quick Question Archive

December, 2022 Quick Question: Thrombosis Risk Profiles

I’ve been reviewing Choosing Wisely recommendations and Medscape discussions on the importance of assays for congenital thrombosis risk factors such as antithrombin, protein S, and protein C. We’d like to know what comprises our profiles by asking “What parameter is NOT part of your thrombosis risk factor profile?” Please access our December Quick Question on […]

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November, 2022 Quick Question: PT/INR

The stem or our November 2022 Quick question asked, If you use the PT when no warfarin is being measured, how do you report the results? Our 51 participants responded as follows: Report both PT and INR: 34 [66%] Report PT/MRI ratio: 0 Report PT only: 14 [27%] Report INR only: 4 [7%] Answer 2 […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

November, 2022 Quick Question

Please visit and respond to our November 2022 Quick Question, submitted by Dave McGlasson. The question asks, "If you use the PT when no warfarin is being measured, how do you

October 2022 Quick Question: Underfilled Tubes

Our October 2022 Quick Question asks, "What is your policy on underfilled tubes?" For some preliminary answers, please review our September 20, 2022

Quick Question Archive

September 2022 Quick Question: Specimen Management Summary

Our September 2022 Quick Question was, "You collect blood for a heparin assay. How soon must you centrifuge the specimen?"

Quick Question Archive

September 2022 Quick Question: Specimen Management

Our September 2022 Quick Question asks, "You collect blood for a heparin assay. How soon

Quick Question Archive

August 2022 Quick Question: LAC Testing Responses

Our August 2022 Quick Question attracted 34 responses [despite our discouraging “Recaptcha” security function] and asked, “You test for lupus anticoagulant [LAC] using a low-PL PTT reagent and a hex-phase high-PL mix. The mix results are 10 seconds shorter than the first test. What do you conclude?” LAC positive 32% [11] LAC negative 18% [6] […]

Lupus Anticoagulant

August 2022 Quick Question: LAC Testing

Our August 2022 Quick Question addresses lupus anticoagulant testing, a member of the standard thrombophilia screening profile. “You test for lupus anticoagulant [LAC] using a low-PL PTT reagent and a hex-phase high-PL mix. The mix results are 10 seconds shorter than the first test. What do you conclude?” The question illustrates the PTT-based LAC test […]

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

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