Weekly Practice Update
A retrospective analysis of Medicaid-insured children with sickle cell disease (SCD) found that those with longer continuous coverage had significantly better adherence to oral Hydroxyurea (HU), underscoring the role of stable insurance and continuity in optimizing SCD therapy.
To investigate whether the length of continuous Medicaid enrollment (12- vs. 24-month coverage) affects adherence to hydroxyurea among children with SCD.
Advanced neuroimaging in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) revealed elevated cerebral blood flow (CBF), reduced cortical amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), increased white-matter ALFF, and altered functional connectivity — patterns associated with slower cognitive processing and higher pain sensitivity.
To characterize CBF, ALFF, and resting-state functional connectivity in adults with SCD compared with matched healthy controls, and relate these measures to cognition and pain sensitivity.
This study describes 46 children and adolescents with SCD who met criteria for high-impact chronic pain (HICP) at the time of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) consultation, highlighting significant pain burden, healthcare utilization, and clinical complexity within this referred subgroup.
To characterize the clinical phenotype of HICP among children and adolescents with SCD referred for HCT consultation, including pain frequency, healthcare utilization (HCU), analgesic exposure, and comorbidities such as AVN.
A preclinical study in humanized sickle-cell mice found that older animals exhibited heightened evoked and non-evoked pain-related behaviors along with age-associated gene-expression changes data that may help inform future research on aging and pain in SCD.
To examine how increasing age influences pain-related behaviors and associated gene-expression patterns in a humanized sickle cell disease mouse model (HbSS-BERK).
Adults with sickle cell shared visual and narrative reflections in a virtual photovoice study, highlighting how pain and self-care shape their daily lives
To capture and interpret adult perspectives on living with sickle cell (SCD) through a virtual photovoice methodology, with the aim of informing patient-centred clinical practice and care design.
A feasibility study in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) found high acceptability and successful collection of salivary stress biomarkers, paving the way for research linking psychosocial stress and biological responses.
To assess the acceptability and practical feasibility of collecting salivary specimens for stress biomarkers (cortisol, alpha-amylase) in people living with SCD.
Interviews with 19 older adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) reveals aging challenges and wisdom for management of sickle cell and healthy aging.
To describe the aging experiences and priorities of adults with SCD aged ≥50 so clinicians can deliver better care for this growing population.
Study finds improvement in emergency medicine (EM) residents’ knowledge after a 40-minute lecture on sickle cell disease (SCD)
To evaluate whether a brief, structured educational intervention could improve EM residents’ knowledge and perceptions about SCD.
National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers (NASCC) practice recommendations establish standardized criteria for sickle cell disease (SCD) care delivery
NASCC used a systematic, modified RAND/UCLA Delphi method to develop consensus-driven clinical practice recommendations for SCD. This process incorporated expert judgment alongside data from the Globin Research Network for Data...
Survey of U.S. Clinicians’ attitudes toward palliative care (PC) to enhance the quality of life for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD)
To assess clinician attitudes, referral practices, and barriers affecting the integration of PC in SCD management.