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Low platelet count can cause significant volume postoperative intracranial haematoma and in presence of multiple defects in haemostatic markers appears to be clinically useful to predict the formation of postoperative intracranial haematoma in neurosurgical patients.

Patients with heterozygous β-thalassemia are generally asymptomatic. However, the intermediate phenotype is uncommon, and patients require further investigation to confirm the diagnosis. We describe a 32-year-old woman (gravida 3, para 2) with heterozygous β-thalassemia who presented with symptomatic anemia and had a history of frequent blood transfusion in each pregnancy. Physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory results at presentation showed hypochromic microcytic anemia with reticulocytosis. Molecular study revealed intermedia phenotypes resulting from coinheritance of heterozygous β-globin chain mutation (IVS1-5) and a rare heterozygous α-globin triplication (αααanti-3.7). In this case report, we discuss the laboratory diagnostic approaches and the challenges faced in investigating this case.

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Coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) can be quantitatively measured by using modern automated coagulation analyzers. It was uncertained whether different methods of FXIII quantitative measurement are correlated. Two different analytical methods were used for comparison in this study. This study selected a neurosurgical patient population for FXIII measurement, expecting a wide spectrum of results from haemostatic changes in vivo. A correlation study between FXIII activity (Berichrom F XIII, Dade Behring Marburg GmbH) and FXIII antigen assay (HemosIL™, Instrumentation Laboratory Company, Milano Italy) was performed using two different automated coagulation analyzers and test principles. FXIII assays using these two methods were performed on blood specimen from 84 patients taken pre and post neurosurgical procedures. A total of one hundred and thirty eight blood samples were included in this correlation study. There was a significant mean different of FXIII antigen levels pre and post intracranial surgery (p< 0.05). A significant, positive and good correlation between FXIII antigen and activity assays were documented by both methods, r = 0.86, and p<0.001. FXIII antigens are correlated with FXIII activity assays indicating the reliability and robustness of both methods for quantitation of FXIII in the blood. These two methods are recommended for both diagnostic and research purposes.