Apheresis practice variation during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of a survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare delivery across all specialties including apheresis. To describe the changes in apheresis service practices that occurred during the pandemic, the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) Apheresis Medicine Attending Physician Subcommittee conducted a survey study.

Study Design And Methods: A 32-question survey was designed and distributed to 400 ASFA physician members on September 7, 2022.

Impact of Patient Blood Management on Red Blood Cell Utilization in an Urban Community Teaching Hospital: A Seven-Year Retrospective Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to showcase how implementing a patient blood management (PBM) program effectively cuts unnecessary red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in a New York City urban community teaching hospital.

Methods: Analyzing seven years from 2013 to 2019, a retrospective review of RBC transfusions was conducted.

Results: Following the introduction of PBM, considerable improvements were observed annually.

A retrospective study for association between post-transfusion hemoglobin S level and pre-transfusion hemoglobin S level at the next scheduled transfusion.

Background: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) frequently undergo prophylactic red blood cell (RBC) exchange transfusion and simple transfusion (RCE/T) to prevent complications of disease, such as stroke. These treatment procedures are performed with a target hemoglobin S (HbS) of ≤30%, or a goal of maintaining an HbS level of <30% immediately prior to the next transfusion. However, there is a lack of evidence-based instructions for how to perform RCE/T in a way that will result in an HbS value <30% between treatments.

Efficacy and Safety of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma in Hospitalized Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There is clinical equipoise for COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of CCP compared with placebo in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 receiving noninvasive supplemental oxygen.

Design, Setting, And Participants: CONTAIN COVID-19, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of CCP in hospitalized adults with COVID-19, was conducted at 21 US hospitals from April 17, 2020, to March 15, 2021.

Apheresis physician well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of a survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional stressors on physician lives. In this study, we report findings from a survey conducted among attending physician (AP) members of the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) to elucidate the status of their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as resources provided or actions taken by their institutions and themselves personally to maintain or improve their well-being.

Study Design And Methods: A 17-question, voluntary, IRB-approved survey regarding well-being was distributed to the ASFA AP members between August 26, 2020 and September 16, 2020.

Apheresis medicine in the era of advanced telehealth technologies: An American Society for Apheresis position paper Part I: Understanding the basic technologies and apheresis medicine practice models.

The wide spread availability and use of sophisticated high-speed telecommunication networks coupled with inexpensive and easily accessible computing capacity have catalyzed the creation of new tools and strategies for healthcare delivery. Such tools and strategies are of value to apheresis medicine (AM) practitioners if they improve delivery of patient care, enhance safety during a therapeutic apheresis (TA) intervention, facilitate care access, advance technical capabilities of apheresis devices, and/or elevate quality performance within TA programs. In the past several years, healthcare delivery systems' adoption of telecommunication technologies has been fostered by organizational financial and quality improvement objectives.

Vascular access practices for therapeutic apheresis: Results of a survey.

Introduction: Obtaining vascular access (VA) is a critical part of the therapeutic apheresis (TA) treatment plan. Currently, there are no guidelines for VA decision-making and maintenance related to TA procedures.

Materials And Methods: A 28-question survey to gather qualitative information regarding VA practices was distributed to the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) 2018 Annual Meeting attendees and all ASFA members for voluntary participation.

Impact of Prothrombin Complex Concentrate on Blood Use, Cost, and Outcomes in Heart Transplantation.

Background: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients undergoing heart transplantation have increased bleeding risk. We compared conventional warfarin reversal with fresh frozen plasma vs 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) and the effect on transfusion requirements, blood bank costs, and clinical outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective review identified 60 consecutive LVAD recipients undergoing heart transplantation divided into two groups: 30 (no PCC) received fresh frozen plasma and 30 (PCC) received PCC.

Spontaneous mutation of hemoglobin Lufkin in a white boy.

A 10-year-old white boy presented clinically with thalassemia major facies, pallor, jaundice, and hepatomegaly. Investigation revealed the patient has hemoglobin (Hb) Lufkin concurrent with beta(0) thalassemia. DNA sequencing of the beta globin gene confirmed a GGC to a GAC mutation at codon 29 (gly to asp) for Hb Lufkin on the patient and also revealed a beta(0) thalassemia mutation, IVS-1-1 (G to A), on both the patient and his mother.

Cloning and characterization of a proliferation-associated cytokine-inducible protein, CIP29.

We identified a novel erythropoietin (Epo)-induced protein (CIP29) in lysates of human UT-7/Epo leukemia cells using two-dimensional gel analysis and cloned its full-length cDNA. CIP29 contains 210 amino acids with a predicted MW of 24 kDa, and has a N-terminal SAP DNA-binding motif. CIP29 expression was higher in cancer and fetal tissues than in normal adult tissues.