February 28, 2022
Could Gene Therapy Cure Sickle Cell Disease?
The therapy, LentiGlobin, restored normal blood function in 35 sickle cell patients who had the one-time procedure, according to clinical trial findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine. “The patients are all now producing stable amounts of normal red blood cells containing healthy hemoglobin,” said lead researcher Dr. Julie Kanter, director of the...
Sickle Cell Trait and the Increased Risk of Stillbirth
Pregnant people with sickle cell trait (SCT) have increased risk of stillbirth, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Silvia P. Canelón, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues examined the potential association between SCT and stillbirth outcome in a retrospective cohort study including data on deliveries occurring between Jan....
Women With Sickle Cell Disease Pain Receive Fewer Opioids
Past trends have shown that men are more likely than women to receive opioids in the emergency department for the management of acute pain. This cross-sectional study, published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, examined recent data to see if this disparity persists among men and women admitted to the emergency department for sickle cell...
Adolescent Sickle Cell Disease and Health Literacy
In the United States, patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are often Black, poor, and publically insured, leaving them vulnerable to barriers in care. In addition, adolescent patients with SCD are especially vulnerable when transitioning from pediatric to adult care. A patient’s level of health literacy is thought to influence the success of this transition. ...
ASH Guidelines on HSCT for Sickle Cell Disease
In a 2021 clinical guideline issued by the American Society of Hematology and published in Blood Advances, eight conditional recommendations are presented for the use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in sickle cell disease (SCD). Julie Kanter, M.D., from the University of Alabama Birmingham, and colleagues developed evidence-based guidelines for the use of HSCT...
Drug Might Reverse Heart Damage Linked to Sickle Cell Anemia
Heart issues are common among people with sickle cell disease. Among them are enlargement of the heart and an impaired ability to relax the heart, a condition called diastolic dysfunction that can lead to heart disease, heart failure, and death. Long-term treatment with hydroxyurea, however, seems to improve and even reverse some of these abnormalities,...