Studies Examine Quality of Care for Hospitalized Sickle Cell Disease Patients and Effective Methods for Detecting Risk of Stroke in Children With Thi...(eased length of adult hospital stays. Th...),Health

Date:12/6/2008

eased length of adult hospital stays. There was no significant association between mortality and hospital teaching status. Patient socioeconomic status was not associated with length of hospital stay or cost; however, lower status trended toward higher mortality in adult patients with sickle cell disease.

Transcranial Doppler Screening Program Is Effective in Preventing Stroke in Children With Sickle Cell Disease [Abstract #714]

Janet K. Kwiatkowski, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Childhood stroke is one of the most devastating complications of sickle cell disease. Although the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) has become routine for screening children with sickle cell disease at high risk for stroke, the impact of the screening tool on the overall incidence of stroke in these patients had not been extensively studied until now. This study found that the use of TCD, coupled with the use of preventive transfusion treatments, has been highly successful in reducing the rate of primary stroke in children with the disease.

In this study, the researchers compared the rate of stroke in the eight-year period after TCD screening began at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with that of the eight-year period prior to the implementation of TCD screening. The current protocol for TCD screening at the Children's Hospital includes annual TCD screening for children with normal TCD results (indicated by a cerebral blood-flow velocity of less than 170 cm/s in the internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries), repeat screening every three to six months in children with conditional TCD results (between 170 and 199 cm/s), and every one to four weeks in children with abnormal TCD results (greater than or equal to 200 cm/s). Transfusion therapy is recommended for all children with confi
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SOURCE American Society of Hematology Copyright©2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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