BLOOD SCIENCES
both the emergency department and acute services, he made it clear that the laboratories across the network are achieving more than 95% most of the time.
Mr Lyall also referred to the impact
of trends in haemostasis testing which COVID accelerated. “Our KPIs don’t change even if we have to accommodate a sudden switch in testing requirements that can affect patterns of working. We need to keep on meeting turnaround times in the interests of our patients.”
Shift towards anti-Xa testing Like other laboratories, Charing Cross has seen demand for D-dimer testing escalate, up by seven-fold during the height of the pandemic. D-dimer testing still remains three to four times higher than pre-pandemic levels. There has also been a shift towards more rigorous testing; for example, using the highly specific anti-Xa assay for a more direct and accurate measurement of heparin activity instead of relying on the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) ratio. Trust clinical guidelines for thromboprophylaxis and anticoagulation in SARS-CoV-2 infection recommended use of low molecular weight heparin prophylaxis for all patients on assisted ventilation. This also led to a COVID-19-
Anti-Xa, one of Stago UK’s specialist coagulation assays.
related large increase in anti-Xa activity being performed across NWLP. Mr Kent explained: “NWLP continues to keep offering both assays as there is clinical demand for the APTT ratio and the anti-Xa assay from our service users.” Stago’s fully automated STA Liquid Anti-Xa can be run in the core laboratory
The special haematology and coagulation services offered by both Hammersmith and St Mary’s hospitals enabled NWLP to challenge the conventional blood sciences format
2.0 2.5 3.0
3000 2500 2000
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
1500 1000 500 0 Year/month Trends in Anti-Xa activity across NWLP.
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM SEPTEMBER 2022 13
across all Stago analysers and, after allowing for setting up time, delivers a very rapid TAT of less than six minutes.
Stago’s digital services and connectivity Alongside Stago’s instrumentation and the quality of its assays, the scope of the company’s software and digital services are increasingly being used by NWLP. “There is something about the inventiveness of how Stago approaches digital services that gives it the edge,” said Mr Lyall. Stago recently launched the My Personal Space platform service for
Anti-Xa activity per month
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