Case: DVT During Pregnancy

Our Quick Question case study for April, 2019, is adapted from Chapter 35 of the March, 2019 6th edition of Rodak’s Hematology, Clinical Principles and Applications: A 33-year-old pregnant woman developed deep vein thrombosis in her left leg. She reported a family history–her mother had an episode of superficial thrombophlebitis and her brother had experienced […]

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Lupus Anticoagulant

Dec 27 2018

george

ASH Choosing Wisely Champions

The American Society of Hematology named two Choosing Wisely champions at the 2018 ASH Convention in San Diego. The champions are Prakash Vishnu, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, who described his work on reducing inappropriate blood. transfusions and Ming Lim, MD, from the Medical University of South Carolina, who described the work that led […]

Bleeding Disorders

2018 ASH VTE Rx Guidelines

As you have noted from our Conference Calendar, the American Society for Hematology annual meeting begins today in San Diego, CA, USA. Foremost in the hemostasis world, ASH today published a series of thoroughly researched and provocative VTE prophylasis and treatment guidelines, which the organization is making available online free of charge. Their offering will […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Nov 10 2018

george

REDUCE-IT Trial Results

Today, Saturday, November 10, 2018, Dr. Deepak Bhatt, principal investigator of the Evaluation of the Effect of AMR101 on Cardiovascular Health and Mortality in Hypertriglyceridemic Patients With Cardiovascular Disease or at High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With EPA – Intervention Trial) reported on encouraging results of the use of high-dose […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

VITAL Trial Results

Click or tap here to learn the results of the VITAL trial conducted by Joann Manson, MD DPH, Beth Israel. The trial looked at the primary endpoints of major cardiovascular disease events and invasive cancer in subjects taking marine omega-3 fatty acids (Omacor® fish oil, (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]], 1 g daily, […]

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 […]

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Quick Question Archive

Oct 8 2018

george

More on Weight-based Aspirin Dosing

Thanks to my friend and colleague Gordon Ens, Inflammatory Markers Laboratory, for the heads-up on this August 31, 2018 Cleveland HeartLab article, Aspirin for the Heart, One Dose Doesn’t Fit All (click or tap) This is in follow-up to our August 13 post, Weight-based Aspirin Dosing, featuring Santosh Kadel at the University of Texas Medical […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Quick Question: DRVVT Results

The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute agree that the lupus anticoagulant (LAC) test profile should employ two testing platforms, and both recommend, among other choices, an assay based upon the dilute Russell viper venom time (DRVVT) and a second assay based on the PTT. Each platform employs […]

Thrombophilia

Platelet Neutralization Procedure

Geoffrey Wool, MD, PhD, Associate Director of Coagulation at the University of Chicago Medical Center Laboratory, provided an excellent Webinar, “Lupus Anticoagulant Testing: Managing Interferences and Optimizing Quality” on the Labroots provider site. Dr. Wool addresses among other issues the time-honored platelet neutralization procedure (PNP), in which concentrated phospholipid extracted from platelets is used to […]

Mixing Studies

An Athletic 59-YO Male with a DVT

Here is one of our April 22, 2018 Medical Laboratory Professionals Week case studies for your response. Watch for more “Lab Week” case studies in the weeks ahead! I (George) have corresponded with a gentleman since 2009; we’ve developed an electronic friendship, though we’ve never met F2F. “John” first contacted me in 2009, a year […]

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Thrombophilia

Thrombophilia

Case: DVT During Pregnancy

ASH Choosing Wisely Champions

2018 ASH VTE Rx Guidelines

REDUCE-IT Trial Results

VITAL Trial Results

Quick Question: Normalizing DRVVT Ratio Results

More on Weight-based Aspirin Dosing

Quick Question: DRVVT Results

Platelet Neutralization Procedure

An Athletic 59-YO Male with a DVT

George Fritsma MS MLS

Cheat Sheets from George

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