Publications by authors named "J Gratz"
Background: Bleeding guidelines currently recommend use of viscoelastic testing (VET) to direct haemostatic resuscitation in severe haemorrhage. However, VET-derived parameters of clot initiation, such as clotting time (CT) and activated clotting time (ACT), might not adequately reflect a clinically relevant interaction of procoagulant and anticoagulant activity, as revealed by thrombin generation assays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of CT and ACT to indicate thrombin generation activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Acute febrile illness is a common reason for seeking healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the diagnostic utility of a TaqMan Array Card (TAC) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel for pathogen detection in paediatric and adult inpatients admitted with febrile illness.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we screened medical admissions for a tympanic temperature ≥38.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates point-of-care diagnostic tests for monitoring the anticoagulants enoxaparin and argatroban in critically ill patients who face risks of thrombosis and bleeding.
- Blood samples from twelve healthy volunteers were used to evaluate the performance of the ClotPro viscoelastic coagulometer alongside traditional coagulation tests.
- Results indicated that the RVV test for enoxaparin is not reliable, while the ECA test shows strong correlation and may be a better option for accurately detecting argatroban levels.
Article Synopsis
- Deranged antepartum laboratory parameters may predict postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), but the effects in prematurely born infants is unclear.
- A study analyzed the relationship between various blood factors (hemoglobin, platelet count, fibrinogen, etc.) and PPH in 1734 women who underwent caesarean sections.
- Results indicated that hemoglobin levels were a consistent predictor of PPH across all gestational ages, while platelet counts and fibrinogen levels had varying associations depending on the stage of prematurity.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides critical support for patients with severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is used for anticoagulation to maintain circuit patency and avoid thrombotic complications, but it increases the risk of bleeding. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), nano-sized subcellular spheres with potential pro-coagulant properties, are released during cellular stress and may serve as potential targets for monitoring anticoagulation, particularly in thromboinflammation.
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