Editorial
Today we are pleased to send you our digital Newsletter which aims to provide you with some important ECAT information and relevant articles in the fields of quality control and/ or laboratory diagnosis in thrombosis & haemostasis.
Enjoy reading.
Petra van Velp
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Participant Questionnaire
Recently your laboratory received by e-mail an invitation to participate in a Participant Questionnaire. The purpose of this questionnaire is to investigate your opinion about certain aspects of our external quality assessment programme (e.g. the constitution of the main survey report, the units used, the z-score overview page). We also ask your opinion about potential new parameters and testing for drug levels. We kindly encourage you to participate in this questionnaire. You can reach the questionnaire with the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ECATENQ2025
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Evaluation of results split by method and/or equipment
In our EQA reports an evaluation is always present at method/reagent level. In addition, for the D-dimer and Screen surveys also an evaluation is performed at the combination of the method/reagent and equipment level. In the past, we had a question from a participant whether it is possible to perform next to an evaluation at method level, also a paired evaluation at method and equipment level for other surveys like the Main program. This may provide additional information for the laboratory about the influence of the equipment for a particular parameter.
To look whether evaluation at equipment level would give additional information for parameters in the Main program, data was studied of the following parameters: Factor VIII clotting activity, Antithrombin activity and Von Willebrand factor antigen derived from survey 2024-M4. This data showed that most laboratories who use a particular method for a parameter also use the corresponding equipment from that same manufacturer. As a result, often no multiple equipment groups with substantial numbers (n>10) are present within one method group and therefore dividing the data of one method group in subgroups of various equipment groups will not provide additional information in the majority of cases. See example below of the parameter Factor VIII (clotting activity) (Table 1).
Table 1: List of methods used for Factor VIII (clotting activity) showing number of participants for the total group and equipment groups (n > 10).
On the basis of this evaluation, we decided to evaluate only at the level of method/reagent.
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The function of the Save and Submit button at the result submission webforms
At our result submission webforms you can find two buttons to store results into the ECAT database: Save and Submit (see figure below).
The “Save” button is meant to save entered data (e.g. method and equipment information, results, classification) into our database. When you have saved data you are still able to modify entered data.
The “Submit” button is meant to definitely save the data into our database. This meant that data can not be modified anymore. The colour of the webform now transferred to a grey colour. See example below.
However, when you consider a modification is still necessary (e.g. because of a wrongly entered result), the ECAT office is able to re-open your webform.
At the moment a survey will be closed saved but not yet submitted data will be automatically transferred to the same fixed status as when you have submitted data. Therefore, only saved data will also be included in the survey evaluation.
In all cases the participant is responsible for entering the correct data into the webforms.
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New at Clotpedia
Clotpedia is our educational website with a bunch of laboratory-related information in the field of thrombosis and haemostasis.
Recently we have added to Clotpedia the reports of ECAT’s pre- and postanalytical surveys.
These surveys are meant to evaluate the knowledge of laboratorians on the pre- and post-analytical phase. Of course with a focus on relevant topics in the field of blood coagulation.
You can now find the reports for 2021, 2022 and 2023 at Clotpedia. Go to www.Clotpedia.nl and select “Survey and Studies”. Here you can also find, in alphabetical order, reports of a variety of case studies and pilot studies performed by the ECAT Foundation.
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Clotpedia
The educational website CLOTPEDIA is a powerful tool for the discovery of laboratory-oriented information in the field of thrombosis and haemostasis. Whether you're browsing out of curiosity or searching with purpose, the platform offers multiple ways to find the information you search for.
With the search bar, you can quickly locate information by typing in keywords, names, or topics. But if you're looking for a specific document, then select a particular category, and you’ll be taken directly to a focused document.
For example. At the ‘Haemostatic Cascade’ section, you’ll find a series of detailed cascades that break down each step of the coagulation pathways.
From the initiation of clotting to the final formation of a stable fibrin clot, every phase is illustrated to give inside in the intricate biological mechanisms. Whether you're a student, technician, researcher, or simply curious, these diagrams offer a step-by-step guide through the different cascades. With the entire process in one overview at the end.
Curious to learn more? Visit CLOTPEDIA or go straight to the 'Haemostatic Cascade' section and start exploring the pathways of coagulation in detail.
We hope this information helps you to discover a lot of information on the Clotpedia website.
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ECAT information:
Laboratory issues related to the measurement of efanesoctocog alfa webinar
On April 14th ECAT had organised, in collaboration with UKNEQAS Blood Coagulation, a webinar on laboratory issues related to the measurement of efanesoctocog alfa (Altuvoct or Altuviio). The recording of this webinar is now available on Clotpedia.
To watch the recording, please click on the following link, to webinar
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ECAT information:
Pilot Study on Light Transmission Aggregation
External Quality Assurance (EQA) for Light Transmission Aggregometry (LTA) is challenging. To investigate the feasibility of EQA for LTA we had performed a pilot survey in 2024.
Eighty-seven laboratories took part in this pilot survey, of which 66 laboratories submitted results. Three different samples were distributed (one normal sample, one sample with 15 µg/mL Abciximab (ReoPro) and one sample 20 nM nanobody GPIb clone 17 mimicking the Bernard Soulier Syndrome) to which laboratories had to add locally prepared platelet-rich-plasma. This pilot survey had demonstrated that EQA for LTA is feasible. For further details, Read more
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ECAT information:
Pilot Study on Contact Factor testing
External Quality Assurance (EQA) for Light Transmission Aggregometry (LTA) is challenging. To investigate the feasibility of EQA for LTA we had performed a pilot survey in 2024.
Eighty-seven laboratories took part in this pilot survey, of which 66 laboratories submitted results. Three different samples were distributed (one normal sample, one sample with 15 µg/mL Abciximab (ReoPro) and one sample 20 nM nanobody GPIb clone 17 mimicking the Bernard Soulier Syndrome) to which laboratories had to add locally prepared platelet-rich-plasma. This pilot survey had demonstrated that EQA for LTA is feasible. For further details, Read more
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ECAT information:
New Publication
Laboratory developed tests (LDTs) are widely used in clinical hemostasis laboratories. An LDT may be defined as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test that is designed, manufactured, and used within a single laboratory. As with all other clinical laboratory tests, LDTs must be validated to ensure fitness for purpose. Within the framework of the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH) guidance on the validation of laboratory developed tests in haemostasis has been published in the Journal of Laboratory Haematology.
It This guidance document provides recommendations on how to plan and execute the processes necessary to validate an LDT prior to its introduction into a clinical laboratory.
We believe this publication can support laboratories in their validation of LDT’s.
This publication can be approached with the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1111/ijlh.14502
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Literature Highlights:
Recent publications
Below we list some interesting recent publications in the field of thrombosis and haemostasis, and laboratory diagnostics. Because of the enormous number of publications we have limited our reporting to just a small list of interesting publications. It is not our intention to provide you with a complete overview. We hope this list supports you in your awareness of interesting publications.
Laboratory testing
- Maruyama, K. and K. Kokame, Development of an assay using a modified coagulation factor V to measure protein S activity. J Thromb Haemost, 2024; 22: 3510-3520.
- Kruijt, M., M.E. de la Morena-Barrio, J. Corral, C.M. Cobbaert and L.R. Ruhaak, Novel insights into antithrombin deficiency enabled by mass spectrometry-based precision diagnostics. J Thromb Haemost, 2025; 23: 210-221.
- Srivaths, L., J. Larson, S. Saroukhani, M. Said, D. Brown, N. Rodriguez, et al., Comparing one stage, chromogenic assay results and discrepancies with bleeding phenotype and genetic variants in females with hemophilia A. J Thromb Haemost, 2025; 23: 504-512.
- Devis, L., D.J. Arachchillage, M. Hardy, A. Mansour, E. Catry, M. Closset, et al., Guidance-Based Appropriateness of Hemostasis Testing in the Acute Setting. Hamostaseologie, 2025; 45: 24-48.
- Assmann J, van Gammeren AJ, Sprenger RA, de Wit S, Ceelie H, Leebeek FWG, et al. Type of D-dimer assay determines the diagnostic yield of computed tomography in patients suspected for pulmonary embolism. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2025;9:102638.
Quality
- Nabil AM, Alsaif HM, Aljamaan MA, Algafly AAH, Aleid RH, Helal RA, et al. Impact of using cross-over CV and mean for two different lots of assay control on implementation of Westgard rules in chemical diagnostic tests. Practical laboratory medicine. 2025;44:e00449.
Guidelines
- Devreese, K.M.J., M.L. Bertolaccini, D.W. Branch, B. de Laat, D. Erkan, E.J. Favaloro, et al., An update on laboratory detection and interpretation of antiphospholipid antibodies for diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome: guidance from the ISTH-SSC Subcommittee on Lupus Anticoagulant/Antiphospholipid Antibodies. J Thromb Haemost, 2025; 23: 731-744.
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Upcoming Events
ISTH and SSC 2025
21-25 June 2025, Washington, USA
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ADLM 2025
27-31 July 2025, Chicago, USA
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ESC Congress 2025
29 August - 1 September 2025, Madrid, Spain
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13th BIC
12-14 September 2025, Padua, Italy
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For more events, please have a look into our Calendar.
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