Q: Our audience is primarily Laboratory Professionals, what message you would have for them? A: I actually started my career working in a hemophilia research lab where I enjoyed learning more of the scientific aspect of the disease. I still miss working in the lab, factor assays were my favorite part. They were like a puzzle and …Continue Reading
Coagulation laboratories have a variety of choices for reagents. What are the differences and why are they important? Fresh frozen reagents are collected from the donor and frozen immediately. After thawing, they require no preparation, thaw and go. Lyophilization is the process of freeze drying a reagent to remove the liquid component. The process leaves …Continue Reading
Currently the global test used to detect intrinsic factor deficiencies in patients with bleeding is the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The APTT reagent used should be sensitive to a reduction in coagulation factors such as FVIII and FIX that are commonly associated with bleeding. Literature states that it is desirable to have APTT systems …Continue Reading
Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is a genetic disorder caused by missing or defective von Willebrand factor (VWF), a clotting protein. VWF binds factor VIII, a key clotting protein, and platelets in blood vessel walls, which help form a platelet plug during the clotting process. [1] History of the disease The first written piece describing this inherited …Continue Reading
