Outcome of Transitioning Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease to Adult Programs.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3743-3743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir K. Ballas ◽  
Carlton Dampier

The transition of medical care of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) from pediatric to adult providers represents a milestone in their lives. Major concerns among adolescents and young adults about transition include taking responsibility for self, making own decisions, cost of medical care, fear of suboptimal pain management, and reluctance to leave known providers. In this study we present our experience in the process of transition to adult care and its outcome over the last ten years. Adolescents and young adults were given information about the nature of medical care provided by adult internists and hematologists. The sickle cell programs available in the city were described. Moreover, site visits to the hospitals where adult care was to be provided were arranged. During these visits, adolescents and young adults had the chance to meet the hematologist and other potential providers and ask questions, visit the emergency room, the clinic, and the sickle day unit if applicable. Patients were empowered to choose the program to which they wished to be transitioned. During the last 10 years, 90 adolescents and young adults (See Table) with SCD (Sickle Cell Anemia [SS], Hemoglobin SC Disease, and Sickle Thalassemia [ST]) were transitioned to the adult sickle cell program of Thomas Jefferson University. Age of transition varied between 18 and 25 years. Eighteen patients (20%) died. Age at death was 24.9 ± 2.95 years and the male/female ratio was 10:8. Complications of sickle cell disease after transition included leg ulcers, stroke, avascular necrosis, anxiety, depression, and priapism. Nineteen patients (10 males, 9 females) were employed. Twenty-nine (32%) patients developed chronic pain syndrome and its sequelae. Many patients failed to achieve their childhood goals. The data show that a significant number of patients die within 10 years after transition. The quality of life of survivors is suboptimal and drifts into issues of chronic pain management in the adult environment. Identifying these issues may provide predictors that identify children at risk to have undesirable outcomes after transition. Aggressive management and refining the process of transition should improve the outcome after transition. Distribution of the Transitioned Patients SS SC ST Total Male 31 8 4 43 Female 34 8 5 47 Total 65 16 9 90

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 2072-2072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewurabena Simpson ◽  
Richard Ward ◽  
Melanie Kirby ◽  
Isaac Odame

Abstract Abstract 2072 Background: The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) in Toronto, Canada cares for more than 700 children with sickle cell disease (SCD), which is the largest Canadian population of children with SCD. Since 2009, the SCD Program at HSC has partnered with adult hematologists within the Red Blood Cell Disorders program at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) to develop a coordinated strategy for transitioning the care of young adults with SCD. Hemophilia is a chronic hematological condition which, like SCD, has a spectrum of disease severity that requires multidisciplinary follow up. At HSC, we care for nearly 200 patients with hemophilia A and B and have a long-established partnership with adult hematologists, which has led to an effective transfer of patients with hemophilia into adult care. In Ontario, adult health providers are remunerated according to a fee-for-service billing schedule. In contrast, pediatric subspecialists are mainly salaried under an alternate funding plan. Until 2010, adult hematologists who provided medical care for individuals with hemophilia received a significantly higher pay scale than those who cared for individuals with SCD. This was changed in July 2010 so that adult hematologists receive commensurate remuneration for services rendered for both hemophilia- and SCD-related medical care. Objectives: 1. To compare the patterns for transitioning patients of varying disease severity within the pediatric and adult SCD and hemophilia programs in Toronto, Ontario. 2. To identify barriers and enablers that have influenced the transition of young adults with SCD within a universal health care system. Methods: Data for active, transitioned and inactive patients in the HSC and TGH clinical programs are maintained in a database at HSC. These patient numbers were gathered according to sickle cell genotype. Similar data were available for hemophilia patients who were transitioned from HSC to adult care. Chi-square analyses were used to compare the proportions of patients in the sickle cell and hemophilia programs that were transitioned between 2009 and 2011. Results: Conclusion: The HSC-TGH- partnership has significantly reduced the number of youth with SCD who continue to be followed at HSC or are lost to follow up. However, a significant number of young adults within the HSC SCD program still need to be transitioned to adult care. For the sustainable expansion of this transitional care strategy, health policymakers must collaborate with tertiary and community level health care providers to develop a coordinated and distributed strategy for the effective delivery of comprehensive health care services for young adults with SCD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (9) ◽  
pp. 1016-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerlym S. Porter ◽  
Kimberly M. Wesley ◽  
Mimi S. Zhao ◽  
Rebecca J. Rupff ◽  
Jane S. Hankins

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 310-320
Author(s):  
Suzanne Ameringer ◽  
R. K. Elswick ◽  
India Sisler ◽  
Wally Smith ◽  
Thokozeni Lipato ◽  
...  

For individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), mild to moderate exercise is advised, but self-regulation of these intensities is difficult. To regulate intensity, one SCD recommendation is to stop exercising at the first perception of fatigue. However, perceived effort and affect (how one feels) are perceptual cues that are commonly used to guide exercise intensity. This study (a) examined perceived effort, affect, and fatigue in relation to metabolic state (gas exchange) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with SCD, (b) explored guidelines AYAs use to self-regulate exercise, and (c) compared perceived effort and affect at gas exchange threshold (GET) with healthy counterparts. Twenty-two AYAs with SCD completed an incremental cycle test. Perceived effort, affect, and fatigue were assessed every 2 minutes. A mixed-effects linear model was conducted to model changes in effort, affect, and fatigue across time. Mean scores of effort and affect at GET were compared with published data of healthy counterparts. Participants were queried about self-regulation exercise strategies. Findings indicated that both perceived fatigue and effort at GET was lower than expected. Perceived effort was lower ( p < .0001), and perceived affect was significantly higher ( p = .0009) than healthy counterparts. Interviews revealed that most participants (95%) do not stop exercising until fatigue is moderate to severe, and many (73%) do not stop until symptoms are severe (chest tightness, blurry vision). Nurses should review guidelines for safe exercise with AYAs with SCD. Exercise training may be beneficial to AYAs with SCD for learning how to interpret bodily responses to exercise to improve self-regulation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 2656-2701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Brandow ◽  
C. Patrick Carroll ◽  
Susan Creary ◽  
Ronisha Edwards-Elliott ◽  
Jeffrey Glassberg ◽  
...  

Background: The management of acute and chronic pain for individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) is a clinical challenge. This reflects the paucity of clinical SCD pain research and limited understanding of the complex biological differences between acute and chronic pain. These issues collectively create barriers to effective, targeted interventions. Optimal pain management requires interdisciplinary care. Objective: These evidence-based guidelines developed by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) are intended to support patients, clinicians, and other health care professionals in pain management decisions for children and adults with SCD. Methods: ASH formed a multidisciplinary panel, including 2 patient representatives, that was thoroughly vetted to minimize bias from conflicts of interest. The Mayo Evidence-Based Practice Research Program supported the guideline development process, including updating or performing systematic reviews. Clinical questions and outcomes were prioritized according to importance for clinicians and patients. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used, including GRADE evidence-to-decision frameworks, to assess evidence and make recommendations, which were subject to public comment. Results: The panel reached consensus on 18 recommendations specific to acute and chronic pain. The recommendations reflect a broad pain management approach, encompassing pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions and analgesic delivery. Conclusions: Because of low-certainty evidence and closely balanced benefits and harms, most recommendations are conditional. Patient preferences should drive clinical decisions. Policymaking, including that by payers, will require substantial debate and input from stakeholders. Randomized controlled trials and comparative-effectiveness studies are needed for chronic opioid therapy, nonopioid therapies, and nonpharmacological interventions.


Author(s):  
Anjali Oberoi ◽  
Alyssa Patterson ◽  
Amy Sobota

Background/Objectives: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD) face challenges related to the disease and its treatment. The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is a self-report tool for assessing transition readiness for youth with special health care needs (YSHCN), including SCD. This study uses the TRAQ to understand transition readiness in patients with SCD treated at the Boston Medical Center, evaluates associations between TRAQ scores and transition outcomes (e.g., EDr, EDu), and compares TRAQ scores in this population with other YSHCN. Methods: We reviewed electronic medical records of AYA with SCD who completed the TRAQ in the pediatric hematology clinic between January 1, 2019, and March 1, 2020, and categorized healthcare encounters to calculate EDu and EDr. We used t-tests and ANOVA models to analyze mean TRAQ scores, sex, age, genotype, EDu, and EDr. Results: The sample was 45 AYA patients with SCD between 13 and 22 years old. The mean TRAQ score for the overall patient sample was 3.67. Mean TRAQ scores did not significantly vary by sex or genotype but did significantly increase with age. TRAQ scores were lower in the SCD population than in other YSHCN. TRAQ scores did not correlate to EDu or EDr. Conclusions: AYA patients with SCD have lower transition readiness than other populations of YSHCN. The age of 18 may not be the most reliable attribute of readiness, though older patients do have higher readiness. The relationship between TRAQ scores, EDr, and EDu is not clear and requires further evaluation.


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