Barriers and facilitators to community acceptability of integrating point-of-care testing to screen for sickle cell disease in children in primary healthcare settings in rural Upper East Region of Northern Ghana.

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a public health problem especially in sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana. While pilot initiatives in Africa have demonstrated that neonatal screening coupled with early intervention reduces SCD-related morbidity and mortality, only 50-70% of screen-positive babies have been successfully retrieved to benefit from these interventions. Point-of-care testing (POCT) with high specificity and sensitivity for SCD screening can be integrated into existing immunization programs in Africa to improve retrieval rates.

Bridging the Access Gap for Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Management Across Sub-Saharan Africa: Learnings for Other Global Health Interventions?

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major unresolved global health issue, with the highest disease burden in sub-Saharan African countries; yet, SCD care has not proportionally reached patients in these regions, and the disease has received limited attention in the past. Addressing the burden of SCD in sub-Saharan Africa requires a holistic, collaborative approach to ensure solutions are both comprehensive - i.e.

Evaluation of treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization and cost of illness for sickle cell disease in Ghana: a private medical insurance claims database study.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for nearly 75% of the global disease burden. The current analysis evaluated patient characteristics, treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs in patients with SCD based on a Private Medical Insurance Database in Ghana.

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted using an e-claims database from Ghana (01 January 2015 to 31 March 2021).

Long-term Safety of Secukinumab Over Five Years in Patients with Moderate-to-severe Plaque Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis: Update on Integrated Pooled Clinical Trial and Post-marketing Surveillance Data.

Secukinumab, a selective interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor, is approved for use in adult and paediatric psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. The aim of this study was to report the long-term safety of secukinumab in pooled data from 28 clinical trials and a post-marketing safety surveillance in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients. Analyses included 12,637 secukinumab-treated patients, corresponding to 15,063, 5,985 and 3,527 patient-years of exposure in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients, respectively.

Clinical efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients with psoriasis and comorbidities: pooled analysis of 4 phase 3 clinical trials.

Background: The influence of comorbidities on the efficacy and safety of biologic therapies in psoriasis has not been rigorously explored.

Objective: To assess the incremental burden of comorbidities on clinical efficacy and safety of secukinumab vs. etanercept and placebo among patients with plaque psoriasis pooled from 4 phase 3 trials.

Association of Secukinumab Treatment With Tuberculosis Reactivation in Patients With Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, or Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Importance: Approximately one-quarter of the global population have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and tuberculosis (TB) is accountable for more than 1.5 million deaths annually. Methotrexate, cyclosporine, and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors may be associated with increased risk of TB and LTBI reactivation, although data are limited on the risks of TB with use of newer biologics.

Pretransplant immunologic risk assessment of kidney transplant recipients with donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies.

Background: Patients with pretransplantation strong donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA) are at higher risk for rejection. We aimed to study the safety of kidney transplantation in patients with lower strength DSAs in a prospective cohort study.

Methods: Three hundred and seventy-three consecutive adult kidney transplant recipients with (DSA+; n=66) and without (DSA-; n=307) DSA were evaluated.

Genomics of BK viremia in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: This study aimed to investigate global gene expression profiles of BK viremia and nephropathy (BKVN) samples using microarrays to investigate the immunologic response to BK virus.

Methods: Patients were monitored for BK viremia in the blood monthly for 6 months, then at 9 and 12 months after kidney transplantation. BKVN and normal transplant kidney biopsy samples, and whole blood samples of patients with and without BK viremia were analyzed by Affymetrix Human Gene 1.

Clinical outcomes after conversion from brand-name tacrolimus (prograf) to a generic formulation in renal transplant recipients: a retrospective cohort study.

After kidney transplant recipients who received Prograf were switched to generic tacrolimus, most differences in the safety and effectiveness of the medications were not considered clinically relevant.

Campath induction in HCV and HCV/HIV-seropositive kidney transplant recipients.

Alemtuzumab (AZ) induction in hepatitis C-seropositive (HCV+) kidney transplant (KTX) recipients may negatively affect patient survival; however, available information is scant. Using US registry data from 2003 to 2010 of adult HCV+ deceased-donor KTXs (n = 4910), we examined outcomes by induction agent - AZ (n = 294), other T cell-depleting agents, (n = 2033; T cell), IL-2 receptor blockade (n = 1135; IL-2RAb), and no induction (n = 1448). On multivariate analysis, induction therapy was associated with significantly better overall patient survival with AZ [adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) 0.

Pretransplant anti-HLA-Cw and anti-HLA-DP antibodies in sensitized patients.

We investigated the prevalence and the strength of anti-HLA-Cw and DP antibodies and clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients with isolated donor-specific anti-HLA-Cw antibodies. Patients on the waiting list were screened by Luminex single antigen beads (One Lambda). The strength of antibodies was determined by mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) values of the beads.

Lack of effect in desensitization with intravenous immunoglobulin and rituximab in highly sensitized patients.

Background: We conducted a prospective cohort study in highly sensitized kidney transplant candidates with a calculated panel reactive antibody (cPRA) greater than 50% and on the deceased-donor waiting list for more than 5 years to investigate the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and rituximab treatment.

Methods: Desensitization protocol included two doses of IVIG (2 g/kg, max 120 g each dose) and a single dose of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)). Patients were followed up monthly by Luminex single antigen beads.

Hyponatremia in cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease: treatment with the vasopressin V₂-receptor antagonist tolvaptan.

Hyponatremia is common in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and is characterized by excessive renal retention of water relative to sodium due to reduced solute-free water clearance. The primary cause is increased release of arginine vasopressin. Hyponatremia is associated with increased mortality in cirrhotic patients, those with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) on transplant waiting lists, and, in some studies, posttransplantation patients.

Clinical and economic analysis of short-course versus standard-course antithymocyte globulin (rabbit) induction therapy in deceased-donor renal transplant recipients.

Purpose: The immunosuppressive effects of and costs associated with short-course antithymocyte globulin rabbit (ATG [rabbit]) therapy versus standard-course ATG (rabbit) therapy in deceased-donor renal transplant recipients were evaluated.

Methods: The records of 84 consecutive patients who received a deceased-donor renal transplant at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Transplantation in 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Donor and recipient characteristics, including rates of biopsy-confirmed acute rejection, serum creatinine (SCr) levels, and frequency of complications, and drug costs were collected.

Clinically significant drug-drug interaction between tacrolimus and phenobarbital: the price we pay.

Purpose: The case of a 57-year-old male who experienced acute renal transplant rejection due to subtherapeutic tacrolimus levels as a result of drug interaction with phenobarbital.

Summary: Drug interactions with tacrolimus due to its metabolism through the CYP 450 3A4 enzymatic pathway have led to several reports of altered tacrolimus levels, which can lead to acute rejection in renal transplant recipients. We describe the case of a 57-year-old male initiated on immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus in addition to his anticonvulsant medications.

Desensitization protocols and their outcome.

In the last decade, transplantation across previously incompatible barriers has increasingly become popular because of organ donor shortage, availability of better methods of detecting and characterizing anti-HLA antibodies, ease of diagnosis, better understanding of antibody-mediated rejection, and the availability of effective regimens. This review summarizes all manuscripts published since the first publication in 2000 on desensitized patients and discusses clinical outcomes including acute and chronic antibody-mediated rejection rate, the new agents available, kidney paired exchange programs, and the future directions in sensitized patients. There were 21 studies published between 2000 and 2010, involving 725 patients with donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) who underwent kidney transplantation with different desensitization protocols.

Tacrolimus Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacogenomic Differences between Adults and Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Tacrolimus is a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant that has seen considerable use in both adult and pediatric solid organ transplant recipients. Though there is much pharmacokinetic data available for tacrolimus in the adult population, the literature available for children is limited. Furthermore, very little is known about the pharmacogenomic differences in the two patient groups.

Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Micafungin (Mycamine) 100 mg and 150 mg Daily In the Treatment of Candidemia.

We conducted a retrospective study to assess pharmacoeconomic outcomes of patients who received a daily dose of micafungin 100 mg or 150 mg to treat candidemia. The once-daily 100-mg dose resulted in clinical and mycological outcomes similar to those achieved with 150 mg daily and succeeded in reducing drug-acquisition costs for treating hospitalized patients with candidemia.