Thrombophilia

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

Viscoelastometry for Thrombophilia

Please comment here if you are using viscoelastometry–Sonoclot, TEG 5000, TEG 6S, ROTEM, or Quantra–to detect a prothrombotic state, and please provide the parameters you employ. For detailed information, click Reda S, Morimont L, Douxfils J, Rühl H. Can we measure the individual prothrombotic or prohemorrhagic tendency by global coagulation tests? Hämostaseologie 2020;40:364–78.

EC Markers in COVID19 Thromboinflammation

The devastating COVID19 pandemic has led medical researchers led by Brandon M. Henry, MD, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA to identify and characterize the pathophysiology of a number of thromboinflammation-related endothelial secretions. Some important terms relatively new to medical laboratory science include ADAMTS13/VWFag ratio, NETosis, and cell-free […]

Arterial Thrombosis

May 2022 QQ: Thrombosis Risk Profile Summary

We had near-100% agreement on our May 2022 Quick Question, which attracted 45 voters: “What assay should be deleted from the thrombosis risk factor profile?” Here are our selections: Protein C 0% Protein S 2% [1] Antithrombin 2% [1] Activated protein C resistance 7% [3] Prothrombin G20210A mutation 4% [2] Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase resistance [MTHFR] polymorphism […]

Quick Question Archive

May 2022 QQ: Thrombosis Risk Profile

Our May 2022 Quick Question asks, “What assay should be deleted from the thrombosis risk factor profile?” Thrombosis risk testing has been available to us since von Kaulla first described “antithrombin 3” deficiency in 1972 using the “serum antithrombin” test. It gained momentum when Dahlbach described activated protein C resistance in 1994, and thrombosis risk […]

Quick Question Archive

COVID-19: VWF/ADAMTS13 Balance

Thanks to Brandon Michael Henry MD, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for drawing attention to his award-winning review, co-authored with Drs. Emmanuel Favaloro and Giuseppe Lippi, which details the relationship between von Willebrand factor and ADAMTS13 and applies the VWF/ADAMTS13 activity ratio to the thrombotic progression of the SARS-CoV2 infection. The authors review 67 primary […]

Arterial Thrombosis

Dec 2021 QQ Summary: Thrombosis Risk Profile

Here is the summary of our December 2021 Quick Question, which drew 28 responses. Question: The resident orders a thrombosis risk profile on an inpatient being treated for PE. How do you respond? Run the profile but provide interpretation: 18% [5] Recommend waiting until Rx is D/Ced: 68% [19] Test for lupus anticoagulant only: 4% […]

Quick Question Archive

December 2021 Quick Question: Thrombosis Risk Profile

Our December 2021 question asks, “The resident orders a thrombosis risk profile on an inpatient being treated for a pulmonary embolism [PE]. How do you respond?” This question is inspired by a case study we developed for Rutgers’ CLSC 5124 Advanced Hemostasis fall, 2021 online graduate course. Above is a screen capture that lists several […]

Anticoagulant Therapy

Platelet-Cancer Cell Uptake

Here is an open-access original research report that illustrates cancer cells’ ability to uptake and mimic platelets, leading to access to the platelet proteome, implying that platelets may support metastases: /sites/default/files/plt-ca_cell_uptake_castanheira_jth_2021.pdf

Platelet Function Testing

JTH World Thrombosis Day Virtual Issue

The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis has released a virtual access Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis issue devoted to World Thrombosis Day, observed on October 13, 2021. Click here to access the issue, which features a number of open access articles.

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George Fritsma is a medical laboratory scientist, educator, and author. George holds faculty appointments with Rutgers University and Michigan State University, and is a member of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, American Association of Clinical Chemists, and American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

Cheat Sheets from George

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