Corticosteroids taken during pregnancy are a risk factor for more severe vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) in women with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a study in France. Particularly, this risk was higher in women with a more severe SCD type and evidence of more severe disease. Newborns exposed…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for use Trinity Biotech’s Premier Resolution System, an automated analyzer that can quickly and accurately detect and quantify hemoglobin variants. Hemoglobin is the protein that red blood cells use to carry oxygen through the bloodstream. Several hemoglobin variants identified…
Sickle Cell 101 is teaming up this summer with Cleveland Browns player Donovan Peoples-Jones — known to fans as DPJ — and his Limitless Foundation Football Camp to raise awareness about sickle cell trait and hydration, both key issues for people living with disorders like sickle cell disease…
The Oman Ministry of Health has approved Endari (oral L-glutamine) for children, ages 5 and older, and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), its developer Emmaus Life Sciences has announced. The disease affects around 3,000 people in Oman, with about 6% of the population estimated to carry…
Children’s of Alabama hosted a special event, in collaboration with famed football coach Nick Saban, to deliver a flock of social robot ducks — the My Special Aflac Duck, free to certain pediatric patients — to 18 children in the state with sickle cell disease (SCD) and cancer.
The Assistance Fund (TAF) has launched a new financial assistance program to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses for people with sickle cell disease (SCD). The program will cover copayments, health insurance premiums, costs related to ground travel needed to get treatment, and genetic testing, for people with SCD who…
Despite improvements in newborn screening for sickle cell disease (SCD) in Brazil, the mortality rate for children and young adults with the disease remains high, according to a recent study that highlights the burden of the disease and the need for improved healthcare for these patients. Researchers found that the…
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) might be at risk for severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) even if they’re a normal weight, according to a study. This contrasts with obesity being a widely known risk factor of OSA in the general population. OSA occurs when the natural relaxation of…
Higher levels of hemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells responsible for oxygen transport — were associated with a lower risk of end-organ damage with sickle cell disease (SCD), a retrospective study has found. The risk was higher for patients with hemoglobin levels below 7 g/dL and increased…
Treatment with hydroxyurea — approved to help reduce pain crises and the need for blood transfusions in sickle cell disease (SCD) — is associated with a higher incidence of spleen removal surgery among children with SCD, according to a recent study. The findings also indicated that SCD children…
Get regular updates to your inbox.