It’s my turn to blog again. This week I was attached to hematology. Our lab use ruby to do the full blood count and retic count and D10for beta-thalassemia. There is a test we never learned in the school before is D- dimmer. I want to share with you here.
D-DIMER
D-dimer is a blood test to diagnose thrombosis. A negative result can rules out thrombosis, a positive result can indicate thrombosis but can not rule out other potential etiologies. It is to exclude thromboembolic disease where the probability is low.
Principle
D-dimers are unique in that they are the breakdown products of a fibrin mesh that has been stabilized by Factor XIII. This is the final step in the generation of a thrombus. D-dimer assays rely on monoclonal antibodies to bind to this specific protein fragment.
Types of assays
l ELISA
l Latex turbidimetric assay (automated immunoassay)
l Enhanced microlatex
l Latex-enhanced photometric
Reference range
Values exceeding 250, 300 or 500 ng/ml (different for various kits) are considered positive.
Next I want to share some information about beta-thalassemia.
There are two forms of beta thalassemia. They are thalassemia minor and thalassemia major.
Thalassemia minor: The individual with thalassemia minor has only one copy of the beta thalassemia gene (together with one perfectly normal beta-chain gene). This situation can very closely with mild iron-deficiency anemia. However, persons with thalassemia minor have a normal blood iron level. No treatment is necessary for thalassemia minor.
Thalassemia major: The child born with thalassemia major has two genes for beta thalassemia and no normal beta-chain gene. This causes a striking deficiency in beta chain production and in the production of Hb A. Thalassemia major is, therefore, a serious disease.
At birth the baby with thalassemia major seems entirely normal. This is because the mosyt of the hemoglobin at birth is still fetal hemoglobin (Hb F). Hb F has two alpha chains (like Hb A) and two gamma chains (unlike Hb A). It has no beta chains so the baby is protected at birth from the effects of thalassemia major.
Ok that is all. Every thing in the lab looks really very easy as loading and unloading the sample from the machine. So I go and find some more information about the test. I hope it is helpful!!!
Enjoy reading^_^
11 comments:
sorry，guys.this is liu qian . i forgot to put my name there.:)
hey
wats rubY? wat do u meean by that?
Vinodhini
Hey Liu Qian,
Can u explain this >>'fibrin mesh that has been stabilized by Factor XIII'. And what is exactly factor XIII?
Thanks!
Sasi
Tg02
hello liu qian,
since beta-thal major is a serious disease, is it fatal? how serious is it?
thanks :)
phuiyuen, TG02
Hey LiuQian~
What's the differential relationship between thrombosis and thromboembolic disease with reguards to D-dimer? thnx..
Joan
TG01
hey liu qian,
that beta-thal looks normal during birth. so how are they going to be detected when the baby has it?
Jeremy
TG01
hi Jeremy
Thalassemia can be identified before birth through the use of prenatal diagnosis. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can be offered as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy and involves removing a sample of the placenta made by the baby and testing the cells. Amniocentesis is generally offered between 15 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, but can sometimes be offered earlier. Two to three tablespoons of the fluid surrounding the baby is removed. This fluid contains fetal cells that can be tested. Pregnant woman and couples may choose prenatal testing in order to prepare for the birth of a baby that may have thalassemia.
hi vino:
ruby is a machine' name used in hematology.
hi sasi:
factor XIII is one of the coagulaion factor.
hi phuiyuan:
alpha thalassemia major is most fatal in the prenatal or newborn period.
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