From Donna Lawler, University of Wisconsin: George, I have been reading with interest the ongoing discussion of PTT reagent selection and enjoyed the corresponding article you cited. I was wondering if you have any similar literature references concerning protime/INR reagents. We use a thromboplastin that has a low ISI (close to 1.0) and good factor sensitivities […]

Our recent series of discussions and comments on the efficacy of D-dimer results in superficial thrombophlebitis for factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation patients has pointed us to a thoughtful discussion of the value of screening unselected populations for activated protein C resistance (APCR), the condition that correlates closely with FVL. Dr. Emmanual Favaloro’s current article; Favaloro EJ, McDonald D. Futility […]

For those who participated in our summer, 2011 questionnaire (designed by Precision BioLogic’s marketing analyst Mr. Ankush Randhawa) about the choice of PTT reagent relative to its application and sensitivity to lupus anticoagulant, the results now appear in Fritsma GA, Dembitzer FR, Randhawa A, Marques MB, Van Cott EM, Adcock-Funk D, Peerschke EI. Recommendations for appropriate […]

On November 1 I replied to a question from Joe Lamb, Columbus, GA about room temperature storage of specimens for partial thromboplastin time (PTT) assays that are sent to reference laboratories. Joe was concerned that his reference lab claimed PTT results were valid on specimens less than 24 hours old, whereas the CLSI Guideline H21-A5 sets […]

I’m having some fun this week teaching a unit in the online graduate hemostasis course at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at the invitation of Drs Elaine Keohane and Nadine Fydryszewski. This also gives me the opportunity to work with colleagues Donna Castellone and Dr. Larry Smith. Many of our twelve students are seasoned veterans in hematology […]

Hi! We are considering to exchange our coagulation equipment and the reagents as well. What is the best thromboplastin, recombinant or brain thromboplastin? What is the best application for each of them? We’ve been using brain thromboplastin for years and now that IL has both, we have the possibility to choose. Our population is composed […]