Question

What laboratory tests are used to assess disorders of primary hemostasis? Secondary hemostasis?

Answer 1

Primary hemostasis is a disorder in which mucocutaneous bleeding occurs followed by epistaxis or gingival bleeding. A typical patient having primary hemostasis experience profuse bleeding from small cuts and needs an application of pressure for a prolonged period of time to stop bleeding.

1) Screening test for coagulation defects can be performed in clinics. The one stage quantitative assay for the factor II, V, VII, X can be done to determine the coagulation factor. It includes the use of plasma and serum in prothrombin time. The results can be calculated by the curve obtained by the clotting time of dilution of the normal reference plasma and specific factor deficient plasma.

2) Complete blood count is essential to perform to study the number of platelets. The blood count will confirm the cause of the bleeding.

3) Peripheral blood smear test can be done by taking the blood smear and examine the blood morphology.

4) Diagnosis of VON Willebrand Disease.

* Secondary hemostasis

1) Based of medical and physical examination, laboratory tests are performed.

2) Prothrombin Time: In this clotting time is observed in seconds, after the addition of the thromboplastin and calcium to plasma. Prothrombin reagents show different sensitivity for various coagulation factors.

3) Activated partial thromboplastin time: This involves the examination of the integritiy of the intrinsic and common pathways. This test is performed by adding the reagent partial thromboplastin.