Transcranial Doppler in Sickle Cell Anemia Adult Patients: Brazilian Experience.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3736-3736
Author(s):  
Gisele S. Silva ◽  
Maria S. Figueiredo ◽  
Perla Vicari ◽  
Airton R. Massaro ◽  
Adauto Castelo Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Transcranial Doppler ◽  
Stroke Risk ◽  
Arterial Disease ◽  
Neurological Complications ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Sickle cell anemia (SCA) may cause a variety of neurological complications, including stroke and headaches. Stroke occurs in up to 9% of children with SCA, and transcranial Doppler (TCD) studies have demonstrated that increased velocities are related to higher stroke risk. Throbbing headache occurs in SCA but its cause, frequency, and relationship to TCD velocities have received little attention. On the other hand, there are few TCD studies in adult patients. Our aims were: 1) to describe the main features of TCD in adult SCA patients, and 2) to investigate if there were correlation between TCD features and presence of headache. TCD was performed in 56 adult SCA patients (≥ 16 years old) and in 56 healthy individuals (HI), matched by age and race. There were 6 patients with a remote history of stroke but none were on chronic transfusion. The SCA group was submitted to a neurological evaluation and specifically asked about the occurrence of headache and its characteristics. The highest flow velocity (maxFV) recorded for each artery was considered the most representative. We analyzed the frequency of FV asymmetry (side-to-side difference > 20%) and focal FV changes. The mean maxFV was significantly higher in patients (117.7 ± 21.6 cm/s) than in HI (72.45 ± 11.48 cm/s) (p<0.005). Only one patient had maxFV higher than 170 cm/s. The frequencies of asymmetry and of focal FV changes were significantly higher in SCA. Forty-one patients (73.2%) reported having headaches. Twenty-eight patients (50%) had severe (= 5 for pain intensity at a 1–10 scale) and frequent headaches (at least once a month). This group of patients presented TCD velocities significantly higher than patients without or with milder headaches (p=0.035). In conclusion, TCD maxFV was significantly higher in adult patients with SCA than HI, however, only one patient was considered at risk of stroke according to TCD criteria described in children. FV asymmetry and focal FV changes may be markers for arterial disease in adult SCA patients, and need to be further confirmed by neuroimaging and clinical follow up studies. The patients with severe headaches presented TCD velocities significantly higher than patients without or with milder headaches, but this finding needs to be confirmed by more and larger studies.

Cerebral Blood Flow Velocities Measured by Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography in Children with Sickle Cell Disease in Africa.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 3779-3779
Author(s):  
Julie Makani ◽  
Tolulope Ajala-Agbo ◽  
Godfrey Otieno ◽  
Christopher Olola ◽  
Greg Fegan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Transcranial Doppler ◽  
Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is one of the commonest monogenic disorders, with 90% of the world’s population living in sub-Saharan Africa. Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a major cause of morbidity, but its clinical prediction in resource rich countries has allowed effective primary and secondary prevention. Measurements of time-averaged maximum of the mean (TAMM) cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFv) in the internal carotid/middle cerebral (ICA/MCA) arteries by Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography and of mean overnight oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) have been useful in predicting CVA. The criteria used in Western populations may not be appropriate to children living in Africa. Aims: The aims of this study were to evaluate the TAMM CBFv in patients with SCA in Kilifi district hospital, Kenya, to assess risk factors associated with high ICA/MCA TAMM CBFv and to examine any association with neurological complications. Study design: This was a cross sectional descriptive study, where TCD ultrasonography was performed on all SCA patients attending the outpatient clinic at CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya in 2002. Previous data from 1990 and follow-up data from 2004 were included. Results: In 140 patients with SCA, aged 3 months to 16 years, the median ICA/MCA TAMM CBFv was 116cm/sec (SD 38, range 0–219 cms/s) compared with 97 (SD 24, range 46–190) cm/sec in 142 controls aged 2 months to 14 years (p=0.0001). 28 SCA patients (20%) had TAMM CBFv greater than and 16 (11%) had TAMM CBFv less than 2 standard deviations from the mean for controls in one or both ICA/MCA’s, but only seven (5%) had a velocity above 170 cm/sec (one &gt;200cm/sec), with the highest proportion of patients aged between 5–9 years (p=0.02). In only two of the patients with low velocities, both with previous CVA, was there no ultrasound signal from either side. 45 (32%) SCA patients had a second TCD after 2 years (two after 14 years). Of the 21 restudied who had high TAMM CBFv at baseline, 14 remained high and 2 became low. Of the 15 restudied who had low TAMM CBFv at baseline, 14 remained low and none became high. Patients with abnormal TCD had lower daytime SpO2 oxygen saturation (p=0.01) and hematocrit (p=0.05). Abnormal TCD was also associated with lower haemoglobin level, red blood cell count and higher white cell count, but not significantly. Neurological abnormalities included history of convulsions in 25 (18%) and history of CVA in 5 (4%). Of those with CVA, maximum TAMM CBFv on either side were 157, 156, 108, 0 and 0; the last patient subsequently died. Three patients who had convulsions in the interim attended for follow-up TCD; compared with those without seizures there was a trend for a greater increase in TAMM CBFv in these patients (p=0.06). Conclusion: Compared with the developed world, in Africa a smaller proportion of patients with SCA have conditional or abnormal TCDs or CVA, although convulsions are common. The proportion of those with low velocities, perhaps due to ICA/MCA occlusion with moyamoya, may increase with time. Further population-based studies in a birth cohort will determine whether cerebrovascular disease is rare or lethal and, together with imaging and neuropsychology, will establish whether abnormal TCD predicts neurological events in Africa.

scholarly journals Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound (TCD) Outcomes for Children with Prior Normal TCD: Post-STOP Study Results

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 562-562
Author(s):  
Janet L. Kwiatkowski ◽  
Heather Fullerton ◽  
Jennifer Voeks ◽  
Lynette Brown ◽  
Ellen Debenham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Doppler Ultrasound ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Transcranial Doppler ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Outcomes For Children

Abstract Background: The Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP) and Optimizing Primary Stroke Prevention in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP 2) study established routine transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) screening with indefinite transfusions for children with abnormal TCD as standard of care. Children with normal TCD studies have the lowest risk of stroke of ~0.5-1% per year (y). Annual TCD screening is usually recommended for these children to detect possible subsequent conversion to high risk. We sought to determine the frequency of TCD screening utilized in “real world” clinical practice and the TCD outcomes for children with prior normal TCD. Subjects and Methods: During STOP and STOP2 (STOP/2), 3,837 children, ages 2 to 16 y with sickle cell disease type SS or S-Beta-0-thalassemia underwent screening TCD. The Post-STOP study was designed to follow-up the outcomes of children who were screened for or participated in one or both of these randomized trials. 19 of the 26 original study sites participated in Post-STOP, contributing a total of 3,541 (92%) of the STOP/2 subjects. After exit from STOP/2, these children received TCD screening and treatment according to local practices. Data abstractors visited each clinical site and obtained retrospective data from STOP/2 study exit to 2012-2014 (depending on site) on follow-up TCD results and clinical information using standard data collection forms. The rates of TCD re-screening and the proportion of children who converted to abnormal TCD were calculated. Factors associated with conversion to abnormal TCD were assessed. Results: Of the 3,541 subjects, follow-up data were available for 2,838 (80%). The mean age at the last TCD study obtained in STOP/2 was 9.5 y and the mean age at last follow-up in Post-STOP was 19.6 y. The mean duration of follow-up after exiting STOP/2 was 9.2 y. Subjects were classified by their worst TCD in STOP/2: the TCD was normal in 1,814 (64%), conditional in 479 (17%), abnormal in 357 (13%) and inadequate 188 (7%). Among the 1,814 children with only normal studies in STOP/2, follow-up TCD screening was obtained in the Post-STOP era on 842 (46%) at a median rate of 0.28 TCD studies/y (range, 0.05-3.04/y). Among these children, 26 (3.1%) developed an abnormal TCD at a median of 11.5 y (2.2-18.2 y) from the last STOP/2 study, while 77.5% still had normal TCD at a median of 10.7 y (0.7-18.3 y) from last STOP/2 study. The worst follow-up TCD classification for this group with prior normal TCD was conditional in 9.7% and inadequate in 9.6%. Among those that converted from prior normal to abnormal TCD, 12 had an interval conditional study (at median 2.8 y, 0.98-9.2 y) while 14 children converted from normal to abnormal at a median of 4.2 y (1.4-12.7 y) without documented interval conditional study. Children who developed abnormal TCD were younger at STOP/2 study exit (4.9 vs. 7.8 y, p<0.001) and had higher TCD velocity at their last STOP/2 TCD study (154 vs. 136 cm/s, p<0.001) than children whose TCD remained normal. There was no significant difference between the time interval from the last STOP/2 TCD and the first Post-STOP TCD in these 2 groups. Conclusions: In clinical practice, follow-up TCD for children with prior normal TCD was performed less frequently than the generally recommended annual basis. Among children re-screened, the risk of conversion to abnormal TCD was relatively low, but re-screening with TCD identified a subset of at-risk children who could benefit from transfusions to prevent a potentially devastating outcome. Predictors of conversion to abnormal TCD included younger age and prior TCD velocity in the high normal range. Disclosures Adams: Novartis: Consultancy.

scholarly journals Ischemic Stroke in Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in the Post-STOP Era

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 68-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet L. Kwiatkowski ◽  
Julie Kanter ◽  
Heather J. Fullerton ◽  
Jenifer Voeks ◽  
Ellen Debenham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Clinical Series ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background: The Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP) and Optimizing Primary Stroke Prevention in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP 2) established routine transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) screening with indefinite chronic red cell transfusions (CRCT) for children with abnormal TCD as standard of care. To identify children at high-risk of stroke, annual TCD screening is recommended from ages 2 to 16 years, with more frequent monitoring if the result is not normal. A reduction in stroke incidence in children with SCD has been reported in several clinical series and analyses utilizing large hospital databases when comparing rates before and after the publication of the STOP study in 1998. We sought to determine the rate of first ischemic stroke in a multicenter cohort of children who had previously participated in the STOP and/or STOP 2 trials and to determine whether these strokes were screening or treatment failures. Subjects and Methods: Between 1995 and 2005, STOP and STOP 2 (STOP/2) were conducted at 26 sites in the US and Canada. These studies included 3,835 children, ages 2 to 16 y with SCD type SS or S-beta-0-thalassemia. Participation in STOP/2 ranged from a single screening TCD to randomization. STOP 2 also had an observational arm for children on CRCT for abnormal TCD whose TCD had not reverted to normal. The Post-STOP study was designed to follow-up the outcomes of children who participated in one or both trials. 19 of the 26 original study sites participated in Post-STOP, contributing a total of 3,539 (92%) of the STOP/2 subjects. After exit from STOP/2, these children received TCD screening and treatment according to local practices. Data abstractors visited each clinical site and obtained retrospective data from STOP/2 study exit to 2012-2014 (depending on site) including follow-up TCD and brain imaging results, clinical information, and laboratory results. Two vascular neurologists, blinded to STOP/2 status and prior TCD and neuroimaging results, reviewed source records to confirm all ischemic strokes, defined as a symptomatic cerebral infarction; discordant opinions were resolved through discussion. For the first Post-STOP ischemic stroke, prior TCD result and treatment history subsequently were analyzed. Results: Of the 3,539 subjects, follow-up data were available for 2,850 (81%). Twelve children who had a stroke during STOP or STOP2 were excluded from these analyses resulting in data on 2,838 subjects. The mean age at the start of Post-STOP was 10.5 y and mean duration of follow-up after exiting STOP/2 was 9.1 y. A total of 69 first ischemic strokes occurred in the Post-STOP observation period (incidence 0.27 per 100 pt years). The mean age at time of stroke was 14.4±6.2 (median 13.8, range 3.5-28.9) y. Twenty-five of the 69 patients (36%) had documented abnormal TCD (STOP/2 or Post-STOP) prior to the stroke; 15 (60%) were receiving CRCT and 9 (36%) were not (treatment data not available for 1 subject). Among the 44 subjects without documented abnormal TCD, 29 (66%) had not had TCD re-screen in the Post-STOP period prior to the event; 7 of these 29 (24%) were 16 y or older at the start of Post-STOP, which is beyond the recommended screening age. Four of the 44 (9%) patients had inadequate TCD in Post-STOP (1 to 10.7 y prior to event). Six (14%) had normal TCD more than a year before the event (1.2 - 4 y); all but one of these children were younger than 16 y at the time of that TCD. Only 5 (11%) had a documented normal TCD less than 1 year prior to the event. Conclusions: In the Post-STOP era, the rate of first ischemic stroke was substantially lower than that reported in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease, prior to implementation of TCD screening. Many (39%) of the Post-STOP ischemic strokes were associated with a failure to re-screen according to current guidelines, while only 11% occurred in children who had had recent low-risk TCD. Among those known to be at high risk prior to stroke, treatment refusal or inadequate treatment may have contributed. While TCD screening and treatment are effective at reducing ischemic stroke in clinical practice, significant gaps in screening and treatment, even at sites experienced in the STOP protocol, remain to be addressed. Closing these gaps should provide yet further reduction of ischemic stroke in SCD. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Definition of the Responder to Hydroxyurea Therapy: Revisited.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 1513-1513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir K. Ballas ◽  
William F. McCarthy ◽  
Robert L Bauserman ◽  
Faramarz Valafar ◽  
Myron Waclawiw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Placebo Group ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Study Endpoint ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Analgesic Use ◽  
Daily Pain ◽  
At Home

Abstract Abstract 1513 Poster Board I-536 Introduction Treatment of sickle cell anemia with hydroxyurea (HU) is associated with significant decreases in the frequency of painful crises, acute chest syndrome, morbidity, and mortality. Some patients, however, show no improvement even with prolonged HU therapy. Identifying treatment responders is important for predicting clinical improvements and for assessing the risk/benefit ratio of HU treatment for individual patients. The salutary effects of HU are thought to be the result of increasing the fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) level. NHLBI guidelines for sickle cell treatment define levels of 15%-20% Hb F as therapeutic endpoints. Research and reviews based on pediatric and adult patients have variously argued that levels from about 10% to 20% are beneficial. Patients and Methods Patients in this study were from the Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea (MSH) in Sickle Cell Anemia, a randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial of HU. The N=299 adult patients were recruited from 21 sites across the U.S. and Canada, and were evenly distributed between males and females. Following randomization to placebo or HU, patients had biweekly follow-up visits until the trial was terminated early due to a significant reduction in painful crises (the primary study endpoint) in the HU arm. Levels of Hb F in MSH patients were assessed at baseline and again approximately 18-21 months after treatment began, with the level at each time being the average of two measurements. In the previously reported MSH study, patients were divided into quartiles of Hb F change as a measure of response to HU treatment. In this approach the bottom two quartiles showed either no or minimal positive change in Hb F levels, and fully overlapped with placebo group in the extent of change. We redefined HU patients as ‘responders’ or ‘nonresponders’ based on a 15% Hb F threshold; those with baseline HbF below 15% and follow-up above 15% were labeled ‘responders,’ while all others were labeled ‘nonresponders.’ The 15% level was chosen due to its frequent identification in previous publications as a level at which meaningful benefits could be expected. For both coding schemes, we compared the following outcomes between subgroups: rate of painful crises, proportion of days at home with pain and with opioid use, and average daily pain. Results Using the 15% rule, responders had significantly better outcomes than nonresponders on all outcome measures: rate of painful crises (p=.011), proportion of at-home days with pain (p=.025), proportion of days with analgesic use (p=.002), and average daily pain (p<.0001). Nonresponders, in turn, did not differ from the placebo group on any of these outcomes. Using the quartiles approach, the highest quartile had significantly fewer painful crises (p<.05) than the bottom two and placebo, but did not differ from the second highest; for the proportion of days with pain, the highest group did not differ from 2 of the other 3 quartiles or from the placebo group. Only for proportion of days with analgesic use and average daily pain did the highest quartile significantly differ from all other quartiles and from placebo patients. Finally, applying the 15% rule to the pl‘cebo group resulted in no placebo patients being mislabeled as treatment responders, suggesting that increases above the 15% cutoff for post-treatment Hb F levels is outside normal variability in sickle cell patients not in HU treatment. Conclusions The 15% Hb F rule successfully identified a ‘responder’ group that significantly differed from other HU patients and from placebo patients on all outcomes, including painful crises. Despite overlap with responders under the 15% rule, patients in the highest quartile for Hb F change did not consistently differ from all other quartiles or placebo on the primary outcome (painful crises) and on proportion of days with pain. Our data suggest that using the 15% Hb F threshold identifies a subset of patients with the best clinical outcomes. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hydroxyurea Reduces Conversion From Conditional to Abnormal TCD Velocities In Children with Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA)

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 270-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Rothman ◽  
Shelly Burgett ◽  
Russell E. Ware ◽  
Courtney Thornburg
Keyword(s):  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Original Cohort ◽  
Transfusion Therapy ◽  
Hydroxyurea Treatment ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Flow Velocities

Abstract Abstract 270 The use of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), a non-invasive imaging technique, is now clearly established for detecting high risk of stroke in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Children with TCD flow velocities ≥200 cm/s have a 10% risk of primary stroke per year. For these children, chronic blood transfusions (CBT) are recommended and have been shown to reduce the risk of primary stroke by up to 90%. The incidence of stroke has decreased to 0.06–0.17 per 100 patient-years since the institution of TCD screening (Fullerton et al. Blood 2004; Enningul-Egham et al., J Pediatr 2010). Although patients with conditional TCDs (flow velocities 170–199 cm/s) have an estimated stroke risk of 2–5% annually, and their rate of conversion from conditional to abnormal is 23% over an 18 month period (Hankins JS et al., BJH 2008), there are no clinical guidelines for primary stroke prevention in this group. We previously conducted a prospective cohort study of hydroxyurea in 37 children with SCA and TCD velocities >140 cm/sec, and demonstrated that TCD velocities decreased significantly after starting hydroxyurea (Zimmerman et al., Blood 2007; NCT00402480). In order to determine if hydroxyurea provided sustained reductions in TCD velocities, we conducted a retrospective review of these 37 children in this original cohort who had elevated TCD velocities and long-term hydroxyurea treatment. The following data were abstracted from the medical record between April 2000 and September 2009: treatment with hydroxyurea and CBT; adherence with treatments; stroke and non-stroke neurological events; and TCD time-averaged mean velocities (TAMV) immediately prior to initiation of hydroxyurea and at the end of extended follow-up. The primary outcome was comparison of pre and post TCD TAMV using a paired t-test. The mean age of enrollment on the original study was 6.8 years (1.8-14.8) and the mean age at follow-up was 12.9 years (5.3-18.5). The mean follow-up was 5.8 years (0.8-8.5) with an overall follow up of 215.1 patient years. Twenty males and 17 females were enrolled. The mean hydroxyurea dose was 25.2 ± 5.6 mg/kg/day, with one patient discontinuing therapy after 15 months. At follow-up, the mean hemoglobin was 8.9 ± 1.2 g/dL and mean HbF was 16 ± 7.2%. Sustained decreases were observed in both the right MCA (164.8 ± 25.5 cm/s to 124.9 ± 35 cm/s, p<0.001) and left MCA (167.9 ± 25.2 cm/s to 126.9 ± 30 cm/s, p<0.001) for all 37 patients. For the 15 patients with conditional TCD velocities at enrollment, 13 had maximal TAMV that reverted to and were sustained in the normal range (185.8 ± 10.0 cm/s to 132.9 ± 14.5 cm/s, p<0.001). Two converted to abnormal TCD velocities at 1.6 years and 4.5 years for a conversion rate of 13%; one was non-adherent but the other was adherent with hemoglobin of 10.8 g/dL and HbF of 23.5%. These two patients were started on CBT and remain stroke free. There were no primary stroke events observed in the 15 subjects with conditional TCD velocities over a total of 78.1 patient years. Of the 5 patients who had abnormal TCD velocities on enrollment and whose parents refused CBT, 1 patient had a stroke after 0.8 years of hydroxyurea therapy. This was the only patient who continued to have abnormal TCD velocities at MTD, 7 months after starting hydroxyurea. The remaining 4 patients continued to have TCD velocities in the normal range off transfusion therapy over 26.3 patient years. Overall, these data illustrate that treatment with hydroxyurea at MTD in children with SCA and elevated TCD velocities resulted in significantly lower and sustained improvements in TCD velocities. Additionally, for children with conditional TCD velocities, hydroxyurea resulted in a lower than expected conversion to abnormal values, thereby sparing many children from CBT without any noted increase risk of stroke. Hydroxyurea did not, however, protect fully against stroke in one patient who had persistently abnormal TCD velocities and therefore CBT remains the standard of care in this population until larger randomized trials are conducted. Further studies are required to evaluate hydroxyurea for primary stroke prevention in children prior to conversion to abnormal TCD and in children who already have abnormal TCD. The currently funded TCD With Transfusions Changing to Hydroxyurea (TWiTCH) clinical trial, which is scheduled to begin enrollment in late 2010, will help answer this important clinical question. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Hydroxyurea is used to reduce complications of sickle cell anemia.

Therapeutic Phlebotomy in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia, Stroke, and Iron Overload: The SWiTCH Experience

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 1044-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Banu Aygun ◽  
Nicole A Mortier ◽  
Karen Kesler ◽  
Willliam H Schultz ◽  
Ofelia A. Alvarez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Iron Overload ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Recurrent Stroke ◽  
Venous Access ◽  
Study Entry ◽  
Liver Iron ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Abstract 1044 Background: Stroke With Transfusions Changing to Hydroxyurea (SWiTCH Clinical Trials.gov NCT00122980), an NHLBI-sponsored Phase III multicenter trial, compared chronic blood transfusions/chelation to hydroxyurea/phlebotomy for the reduction of recurrent stroke and improvement in iron overload management in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and history of overt stroke. To date, however, phlebotomy to manage iron overload has not been commonly performed in children, especially those with SCA. Objective: To describe the experience with SWiTCH phlebotomy procedures, including success rate, associated adverse events, and effect on liver iron stores. Methods: Quantitative liver iron concentration (LIC) was measured by liver biopsy at study entry. Only subjects with LIC > 5 mg Fe/gram dry weight liver (DWL) were eligible for randomization. Those randomized to hydroxyurea/phlebotomy received decreasing volumes of monthly transfusion during hydroxyurea dose escalation, which lasted 4–9 months. Phlebotomy was performed every 4±1 weeks after discontinuation of transfusions. The prescribed phlebotomy volume was 10 mL/kg (maximum 500 mL) for Hb ≥ 8.0 gm/dL, and 5 mL/kg for Hb 7.0–7.9 gm/dL. Phlebotomy was held if Hb was <7.0 gm/dL. Phlebotomy was performed over 30 minutes with immediate normal saline replacement, typically using peripheral venous access. Exit LIC by liver biopsy was obtained in those completing 30 months of therapy. Ferritin was monitored monthly in all subjects using a centralized laboratory. Results: Sixty-seven children (mean age 13.0 ± 4.0 years; range 5.2–19.0 years) with history of previous stroke and transfusion therapy for an average of 7.4 ± 3.8 years (range 1.5–15.5 years) were randomized to the hydroxyurea/phlebotomy arm. Most of them had also received chelation therapy: 47 (71%) with deferoxamine for an average of 4.8 ± 3.2 years, and 57 (86%) with deferasirox for 1.5 ± 0.8 years prior to study entry. Their average entry LIC was 16.5 ± 9.4 mg/gram DWL. Sixty of 67 children (90%) successfully transitioned to hydroxyurea after 7.2 ± 2.4 months of transfusion overlap; one subject had a stroke during overlap and six failed to demonstrate adequate response/compliance to hydroxyurea to safely discontinue transfusions. These 60 subjects received an average of 8 ± 3 transfusions providing 63 ± 44 mL/kg PRBCs before completing transition and commencing phlebotomy, and 3 ± 3 transfusions providing 19 ± 20 mL/kg PRBCs after starting phlebotomy, for various clinical indications. During the course of the study, a total of 935 phlebotomies were performed (mean 16 per subject) removing an average total volume of 127 ± 74 mL/kg per subject. The mean pre-phlebotomy Hb level on hydroxyurea (9.1 gm/dL) was not significantly different than the mean pre-transfusion Hb during the transfusion overlap period (9.0 gm/dL). Mean ferritin for these 60 subjects on the hydroxyurea/phlebotomy arm decreased from 3523 ± 2150 ng/mL at study entry to 2227 ± 1646 ng/mL (p<0.0001) at exit; and decreased in 50 of 60 subjects. For the 23 patients on the hydroxyurea/phlebotomy arm who completed 30 months of study treatment, the average LIC was unchanged (18.5 mg Fe/gram DWL at entry compared to 18.1 mg Fe/gram at exit, p=0.817). However, average ferritin level for these subjects was significantly lower at exit (4216 ± 2799 ng/mL vs 2356 ± 2032 ng/mL, respectively, p=0.0003). Of 968 protocol-directed phlebotomy procedures, 935 (97%) were performed; 94% of which were at full prescribed volume. Of the 33 phlebotomy procedures that were not performed, 11 were held due to Hb < 7.0 gm/dL and 9 due to poor venous access. There were only 33 grade 2 adverse events (3.5% prevalence) reported in 12 subjects and no serious adverse events. The most common complication was hypotension (9 events; 5 subjects) followed by dizziness, syncope, headache and weakness. Six subjects had a recurrent stroke but there was no temporal relationship to the phlebotomy procedures. Conclusions: Therapeutic phlebotomies were well-tolerated and did not result in worsening anemia or stroke recurrence in this cohort of children with SCA and previous stroke switched to hydroxyurea. Although ferritin levels decreased significantly, we did not demonstrate an overall decrease in LIC in this heavily iron overloaded cohort, most likely due to continued iron loading with transfusions in the overlap period and subsequent short duration of phlebotomy. Disclosures: Off Label Use: Use of hydroxyurea in children with sickle cell anemia.

Impact of early transcranial Doppler screening and intensive therapy on cerebral vasculopathy outcome in a newborn sickle cell anemia cohort

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 1130-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Françoise Bernaudin ◽  
Suzanne Verlhac ◽  
Cécile Arnaud ◽  
Annie Kamdem ◽  
Sylvie Chevret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Predictive Factors ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Transcranial Doppler ◽  
Stroke Risk ◽  
Preventive Intervention ◽  
Intensive Therapy ◽  
Human Leukocyte ◽  
Hazard Ratio

AbstractTranscranial Doppler (TCD) is used to detect children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) who are at risk for stroke, and transfusion programs significantly reduce stroke risk in patients with abnormal TCD. We describe the predictive factors and outcomes of cerebral vasculopathy in the Créteil newborn SCA cohort (n = 217 SS/Sβ0), who were early and yearly screened with TCD since 1992. Magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography was performed every 2 years after age 5 (or earlier in case of abnormal TCD). A transfusion program was recommended to patients with abnormal TCD and/or stenoses, hydroxyurea to symptomatic patients in absence of macrovasculopathy, and stem cell transplantation to those with human leukocyte antigen-genoidentical donor. Mean follow-up was 7.7 years (1609 patient-years). The cumulative risks by age 18 years were 1.9% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.6%-5.9%) for overt stroke, 29.6% (95% CI 22.8%-38%) for abnormal TCD, which reached a plateau at age 9, whereas they were 22.6% (95% CI 15.0%-33.2%) for stenosis and 37.1% (95% CI 26.3%-50.7%) for silent stroke by age 14. Cumulating all events (stroke, abnormal TCD, stenoses, silent strokes), the cerebral risk by age 14 was 49.9% (95% CI 40.5%-59.3%); the independent predictive factors for cerebral risk were baseline reticulocytes count (hazard ratio 1.003/L × 109/L increase, 95% CI 1.000-1.006; P = .04) and lactate dehydrogenase level (hazard ratio 2.78/1 IU/mL increase, 95% CI1.33-5.81; P = .007). Thus, early TCD screening and intensification therapy allowed the reduction of stroke-risk by age 18 from the previously reported 11% to 1.9%. In contrast, the 50% cumulative cerebral risk suggests the need for more preventive intervention.

scholarly journals Transcranial Doppler Screening Adherence Among Children with Sickle Cell Anemia Seen in the Emergency Department

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3569-3569
Author(s):  
Julie K. Weisman ◽  
Carrie Diamond ◽  
Sarah Kappa ◽  
Robert Sheppard Nickel
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Sickle Cell Disease ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Transcranial Doppler ◽  
Clinic Visit ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Screening Guidelines ◽  
History Of ◽  
Screening Adherence

Abstract Background: Annual transcranial doppler (TCD) screening is strongly recommended for patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) between the ages of 2 to 16 years to identify children at highest risk for stroke. Implementation of this screening and treating identified patients with chronic transfusion has decreased the incidence of overt stroke. Nonetheless, adherence to TCD screening guidelines is poor and many children with SCA do not receive an annual TCD. The purpose of this study is to evaluate adherence to TCD screening among a cohort of patients with SCA seen in the emergency department (ED) for an acute problem. Previous work has demonstrated that SCD-related outpatient visits are important "missed opportunities" for TCD screening. We hypothesized that ED encounters also represent potential opportunities to identify patients in need of TCD screening who do not attend clinic regularly. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of the medical records of all patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) seen in the ED at a large, urban pediatric institution between February 2016 and April 2017. Patients were identified using an ED clinical registry that includes all ED patient encounters. We excluded patients who do not need TCD screening (sickle cell disease genotypes other than SS and Sβ0 thalassemia, age <2 or >16 years, on chronic transfusions, history of hematopoietic stem cell transplant). We also excluded patients documented to previously have inadequate TCD bone windows and patients who did not receive their regular hematology care at the study institution. For eligible patients who had multiple ED encounters during the study period, data was extracted at the time of the first ED encounter during the study period. Eligible patients who had received a TCD in the last year (adherent to TCD screening) were compared to patients who had not received a TCD in the last year (nonadherent to TCD screening). Categorical data was analyzed with the chi-square test. Continuous data was analyzed using the two-sample t-test. P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: During the 64 week study period, 739 patients with SCD were seen in the ED. A total of 482 patients were excluded for the following reasons: non-SCA genotype (n=164), age (n=139), followed at outside institution (n=129), chronic transfusion (n=38), prior TCD window problem (n=10), history of transplant (n=2); leaving 257 patients with SCA aged 2-16 years for study. Among this study group, 63 patients (25%) had not received a needed TCD in the last year, including 19 patients (7%) who had never had a TCD. When excluding patients aged 2-2.99 years (n=33) in whom a first TCD may have been planned soon after the ED encounter, a similar proportion of patients still had not received a TCD in the last year (53/224, 24%) but a slightly smaller proportion had never had a TCD (9/224, 4%). Patient age and sex were not associated with TCD screening adherence (p>0.7). Patients adherent to TCD screening were more likely to be taking hydroxyurea (67% vs. 29%, p<0.0001). A recent hematology clinic visit was significantly associated with TCD screening adherence. All patients adherent to TCD screening had a clinic visit in the last year compared to 75% of nonadherent patients, p<0.0001. The mean interval time since the last hematology clinic appointment from the ED encounter was greater for TCD nonadherent patients, 70 vs. 270 days p<0.0001 (Figure). Conclusion: Patients with SCA who present to the ED and are nonadherent to TCD screening guidelines are less likely to have had a recent hematology clinic visit. Therefore, the ED may be an important location for identifying patients lost to regular clinic follow-up in need of a TCD. An intervention that specifically targets this patient population will likely improve TCD screening rates and stroke prevention. Figure. Figure. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Impact of Hyperfiltration during Early Childhood on the Natural History of Albuminuria in Pediatric Sickle Cell Anemia

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 8-8
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Lebensburger ◽  
Lee Hilliard ◽  
Thomas H. Howard ◽  
Inmaculada Aban ◽  
Daniel Feig
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Sickle Cell ◽  
Sickle Cell Anemia ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Event Analysis ◽  
Time To Event ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Introduction: Pediatric patients with Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) are at risk for developing albuminuria. Hyperfiltration precedes the development of albuminuria in patients with diabetes but the natural history of hyperfiltration on the progression to albuminuria has not been studied in children with SCA. Methods: We have enrolled 185 participants with HbSS or SB0 thalassemia in a prospective pediatric cohort study evaluating progression to chronic kidney disease; the mean current age of participants in this cohort is 14 years. We have abstracted 817 urine microalbumin creatinine measurements and 891 estimations of GFR (eGFR) by Cystatin C. Abnormal urine albumin/creatinine is defined as >30mg/g. We defined persistent albuminuria as two abnormal spot urine microalbumin/creatinine measurements over three consecutive measurements and intermittent albuminuria as one abnormal urine measurement with two consecutive repeat measurement as normal. We performed descriptive and univariate statistics to characterize the natural history of the development of albuminuria. Next, as standard of care definitions of hyperfiltration (>140 ml/min/1.87) are not appropriate in SCA during early childhood (4-10 years of age), we a priori defined hyperfiltration as an eGFR ≥180 ml/min/1.87. We categorized patients with hyperfiltration during early childhood if the mean eGFR was >180 ml/min/1.87. We abstracted the mean white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and SCA therapy during early childhood and performed estimates of the odds ratio and used chi-squared test to compare the proportion of those who progressed to persistent albuminuria. Finally, we performed time to event analysis to obtain the estimated Kaplan-Meier curves for participants with and without hyperfiltration and used logrank test to compare their survival distributions. Results: Among the 185 participants, 55 participants (30%) were identified with at least one episode of albuminuria and 130 patients (70%) have not yet developed an episode of albuminuria. Among the 55 participants identified with an albuminuria event, 36 participants (66%) are categorized as having persistent albuminuria while 19 patients (34%) demonstrated intermittent or only one episode of albuminuria. The mean age at the identification of a first albuminuria event was 11.0 years (range 2-18 years). Comparing patients that progressed to persistent vs intermittent albuminuria, we identified no significant differences for age at first episode of albuminuria (13.2 vs 11.9 years, p=0.3) or type of SCA modifying therapy at first episode of albuminuria (p=0.4). We identified 90 participants with eGFR obtained between 4-10 years; 39 (43%) participants were categorized with hyperfiltration and 51 participants had a mean eGFR < 180 ml/min/1.87. Nine of the 39 (23%) participants categorized with hyperfiltration have progressed to develop persistent albuminuria as compared to 3 (6%) of the 51 without hyperfiltration progressed to persistent albuminuria; hyperfiltration was associated with a 4.8 higher odds of developing persistent proteinuria. (p=0.02). The mean eGFR during early childhood was also significantly higher among participants that progressed to albuminuria (186 vs 169 ml/min/1.87, p=0.04). We identified no significant impact of mean WBC (p=0.13), mean hemoglobin (p=0.07), or SCA therapy (p=0.22) in this subset of patients on progression to persistent albuminuria. As the current age of participants impacts identifying albuminuria outcomes, we performed a time to event analysis; participants identified with hyperfiltration during early childhood develop persistent albuminuria at an earlier age than participants without persistent albuminuria (logrank p=0.004). Finally, while persistent albuminuria was significantly associated with hyperfiltration during early childhood, we did not identify a difference in eGFR between patients with and without albuminuria during adolescence (Figure 1). Conclusion: Although 30% of patients with SCA will develop an episode of albuminuria during childhood, only 19% of cohort participants developed persistent albuminuria. Early hyperfiltration is predictive for developing albuminuria and therapies should target reducing hyperfiltration in the first decade of life. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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