Thrombophilia

Vitamin K Deficiency and Skin Necrosis

Elaine Keohane, PhD, MLS, chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Rutgers University passes along this question from a medical student. Factor VII and protein C have about the same half-life (~6 hrs). In early vitamin K deficiency, is there a period of hypercoagulability due to the low protein C activity (similar to initiation […]

Dr. R. Besser Twitter Chat Oct 20

Dear World Thrombosis Day partners and sponsors, The World Thrombosis Day campaign and ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser will host a LIVE Twitter Chat devoted to venous thromboembolism (VTE) on Tuesday, October 20 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The topic is particularly relevant in October for the recognition of World Thrombosis […]

It’s Here: World Thrombosis Day, Tuesday 10-13-15

The annual World Thrombosis Day is Tuesday, October 13, 2015. Please add your WTD event to the website indicating location, time, and if activities are open to the public. A YouTube animated campaign video is available to use at your event and to share online with your network. With several well-known celebrities, join the campaign […]

FVL Mutation and Surgery

This question was sent via the ASCLS Consumer Web Forum: Are there increased risks for surgery for someone with one copy of factor V Leiden? If there are, does this rule someone out for major elective surgery (i.e. living donor organ transplant)? This is the kind of question only the patient’s surgeon can answer, given […]

Homozygous Prothrombin G20210A Mutation

Louann Lawrence, DrPH, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Tarleton State University, Fort Worth was contacted by Mr. Tim Smith through the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Consumer Web Forum. Mr. Smith writes, “Hi, I am homozygous for the prothrombin G20210A mutation. This is said to be rare. I thought my case might be of […]

MTHFR and Pregnancy Loss

Here is a question that was posted by a physician to the ASCLS Cosumer Web Forum. We have a patient who has delivered a normal baby in 2013. She recently called to let us know that her twin sister was pregnant with twins and lost one of them at 31 weeks due to the MTHFR […]

DVT with Thrombocytopenia

Here is a case that George heard about on Saturday, May 16. An ultrasound revealed two blood clots in a man’s leg. After two days on Coumadin and Lovenox (LMWH) his platelet count was 4,000/uL so his doctor discontinued the Coumadin. The man had been previously diagnosed with ITP and his doctor wants to arrange […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Cepheid Factor II and V Mutations

From Dr. Joyce Low, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. We were wondering if anyone has had experience with the Cepheid combined factor V Leiden mutation and prothrombin G20210A (Xpert factor II and V) assay on the GeneXpert which was FDA-cleared in 2006. Thank you, Dr. Low, I’ve had no experience, but hope to hear from our participants. Geo.

More on HIT Testing: 4 T’s

In follow-up to Julia Witt’s July 9 post requesting information on the PIFA AB rapid test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, attached below is an article that defines and illustrates the 4T protocol: Lo GK, Juhl D, Warkentin TE, Igouin S, Eichler P, Greinacher A. Evaluation of pretest clinical score (4 T’s) for the diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in two clinical […]

Rapid HIT Test

From Julia Witt: Our healthcare system is currently looking at more efficient ways to screen for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis (HIT). Currently we are looking at the Akers Biosciences PIFA AB test. The literature looks good, but I wonder how many are using this test and can it be reliably used as a rule out test for […]

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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.

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