Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a complex genetic disorder that has long challenged both patients and healthcare professionals. One of its chronic and debilitating complications is pulmonary hypertension (PH). SCD-associated PH is often post-capillary, secondary to left heart disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: Precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a devastating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Little is known about the influence of the SCD genotype on PH characteristics.
Objectives: To describe clinical phenotypes and outcomes of precapillary PH due to SCD according to disease genotype.
The long-term effects of chronic blood exchange transfusions (BETs) on pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension complicating sickle cell disease (SCD) are unknown.13 homozygous SS SCD patients suffering from pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension and treated by chronic BETs were evaluated retrospectively. Assessments included haemodynamics, New York Heart Association Functional Class (NYHA FC), 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and blood tests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFErythrocytapheresis (ER) can improve outcome in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). A good vascular access is required but frequently it can be difficult to obtain for sickle cell patients. Arterio-venous fistulas (AVFs) have been suggested for ER in SCD supported by limited evidence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sickle cell disease (SCD) has become a major public health issue. Hydroxyurea and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion are the cornerstone treatments. Erythrocytapheresis (ECP) is an automated method for transfusion exchange.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe study aimed at determining the presence of an oxidative stress in patients with macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF), a new inflammatory myopathy with suspected toxic etiology related to aluminium hydroxide-containing vaccines. A total of 30 MMF patients (nine males, 21 females; aged 42+/-14 years), whose diagnosis was confirmed by deltoid biopsy, have been included and compared to 38 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects (10 males, 28 females; aged 43+/-8 years). The blood oxidative stress status has been evaluated by assaying six parameters: plasma lipid peroxidation products (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances: TBARS) and antioxidant defense systems: plasma vitamin E and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, erythrocyte GSH-Px and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities.
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