George Fritsma

MS, MLS, Lab Scientist, Educator, Author

George Fritsma is a medical laboratory scientist, educator, and author. George contributed five chapters to Keohane EM, Butina MM, Mirza KM, Walenga JM: Rodak’s Hematology; Clinical Principles and Applications, Seventh Edition, 2025, Elsevier; and is the co-author of Bennett A, Fritsma GA, Ernst DJ: Quick Guide to Blood Collection Edition 2, 2016, Marques MB, Fritsma GA: Quick Guide to Coagulation Testing Edition 3, 2015, and Reddy V, Marques MB, Fritsma GA: Quick Guide to Hematology Testing Edition 2, 2013, along with three additional titles, all published by AACC Press. He is a consultant in the Laboratory Medicine Department of Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. 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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October 2026 QQ: Which is NOT an APL?

Our October 2026 Quick Question is a quiz that asks, “Which is NOT an antiphospholipid antibody?” The choices are… Anti beta-2 glycoprotein 1 Alpha-2 antiplasmin Lupus anticoagulant Antiprothrombin Anticardiolipin Antiphospholipid antibodies are acquired autoantibodies that bind phospholipid-bound proteins. Please go to the question on the right of your screen, make your selection, and add your […]

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Blog

July 2026 CAP Today Q & A Column: Lipoprotein (a).

Q. Our providers pointed out that lipoprotein(a) results from different laboratories are discordant, so they asked us to bring the assay in-house. Is this a good idea? A. Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a prothrombotic, proinflammatory, and atherogenic cholesterol-rich particle. Plasma concentration of Lp(a) is an important genetic determinant of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, and […]

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Thrombophilia

October 2026 Cheat Sheet

Click here to read your October 2026 Cheat Sheet. If you choose to receive the “push” version of the monthly Cheat Sheet, you will find a series of links to our September posts at the bottom. To arrange for your cheat sheet, sign up in the right column of your home page. All Fritsma Factor […]

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Cheat Sheets

September 2026 QQ Summary: Anticoagulant Therapy for LAC Patients with VTE

Our September 2026 QQ asked: In your facility, what AC do you use for LAC patients with VTE? Our 13 respondents answered: Anti-Xa DOAC: 5 (39%) Warfarin: 8 (61%) No one chose an anti-IIa DOAC, aspirin, or “none.” There have been provocative discussions among KOL experts comparing the long-term use of warfarin (VKA) v. anti-Xa […]

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Thrombophilia

A Summary of VWD Management by Dr. Favaloro

See this open-access editorial summarizing current VWD diagnosis and management. Favaloro EJ. 100 years of von Willebrand disease: celebrating a significant milestone in von Willebrand disease diagnostics and management. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2026;52(7):762-764. doi: 10.1055/a-2877-9583. PMID: 42190737. Further, here’s a link to the entire Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis, October 2026, that addresses Hemostasis in […]

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Bleeding Disorders

Review: Pediatric VTE

While we focus on arterial and venous thrombosis, October 13 is the official World Thrombosis Day. With this thought in mind, here is a richly illustrated review describing pediatric VTE: Espanol MG, Janbain M. Pediatric venous thromboembolism: an illustrated review. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2026;10:106892. doi: 10.1016/j.rpth.2026.106892. PMID: 42699084; PMCID: PMC13543900. Abstract Venous thromboembolism (VTE) […]

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Thrombophilia

Heparin Re-exposure in HIT Patients

Obtain this article about HIT from your local medical library: Caudill EB, Kim JH, Kanaan DM, Sylvester KW, Pimentel LY, Kim CS, Connors JM. Heparin re-exposure in patients with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. J Thromb Haemost. 2026 Aug 3:S1538-7836(26)00484-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2026.07.024. PMID: 42546848. Objective To evaluate heparin re-exposure practices and safety in patients with […]

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Anticoagulant Therapy

Women and Girls With Hemophilia and Hemophilia Carriers

This open-access article details ISTH guidance in managing hemophilia in women and girls: Srivaths L, Ardila J, Fijnvandraat K, van Galen K, James P, Larson J, Shapiro S, Sidonio R, Escobar M. The diagnosis and evaluation of women and girls with hemophilia and hemophilia carriers: guidance from the SSC of the ISTH. J Thromb Haemost. […]

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Bleeding Disorders

Can AI Replace Clinical Prediction Scores in Thrombophilia?

Here is an open-access that compares the efficacy of AI with traditional clinical prediction scores for thrombophilia: Danilatou V, Arachchillage DJ. Beyond accuracy: why replacing traditional scores with AI in thrombosis care creates new ethical and regulatory obligations. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2026 Sep 3. doi: 10.1055/a-2943-7750. PMID: 42692078. Abstract Clinical prediction scores have been central […]

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Thrombophilia

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