What Do We Really Need To Know About Platelets And The Laboratory?

What is a platelet? The anatomic definition of a platelet is well established: According to MedicineNet.com, it is “an irregular, disc-shaped element in the blood that assists in blood clotting. During normal blood clotting, the platelets clump together (aggregate). Although platelets are often classed as blood cells, they are actually fragments of large bone marrow cells called megakaryocytes.” This definition, however, does not do justice to our rapidly expanding understanding of the platelet’s roles, functions, and laboratory applications.

What the numbers say

Laboratories with the ability to detect platelet function defects still tend to focus on identifying the two percent of the population that have heritable platelet function defects and von Willebrand Disease.

Read more: What Do We Really Need To Know About Platelets And The Laboratory?

Source: MedicalLaboratoryObserver

The Continuing Case for Point-of-Care Testing for HbA1c

There is an ongoing conflict between traditional clinical laboratories and the relative new kid on the block, point-of-care testing (POCT). Of course, the laboratory system will likely always be king. But there is absolutely a place for POCT, especially as the way in which we approach healthcare, especially diagnostics, develops beyond the usual settings.

POCT ensures the rapid provision of diagnostic information, ideally during one consultation, to enable clinical decisions to be made at the earliest opportunity. Such rapid provision of information facilitates optimization of the care process. The potential for any application of POCT can, therefore, be judged in terms of its contribution to decision making and to the process of care.

In the case of the management of diabetes patients, POCT for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) may offer a number of advantages—as long as the performance characteristics of the analyzers used are equivalent to those employed in the central laboratory, and can be certified as such.

The use of HbA1c for management of diabetes

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is well-recognized as a reliable measure for glycemic control.

Read more: The Continuing Case for Point-of-Care Testing for HbA1c

Figure 1. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) explained

Source: mlo-online