Articles: disease.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jun 2014
Deferasirox for managing transfusional iron overload in people with sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of genetic haemoglobin disorders, that occurs in about 2.2 per 1000 births worldwide. Increasingly, some people with SCD develop secondary iron overload due to occasional red blood cell transfusions or are on long-term transfusion programmes for e.g. secondary stroke prevention. Iron chelation therapy can prevent long-term complications.Deferoxamine and deferiprone have been found to be efficacious. However, questions exist about the effectiveness and safety of the newer oral chelator deferasirox. ⋯ Deferasirox appears to be of similar efficacy to deferoxamine depending on depending on the appropriate ratio of doses of deferoxamine and deferasirox being compared. However, only limited evidence is available assessing the efficacy regarding patient-important outcomes. The short-term safety of deferasirox seems to be acceptable, however, follow up in the available studies was too short to assess long-term side effects. Long-term safety and efficacy data are available from a non-controlled extension phase not included in our review; however, no valid comparative conclusions can be drawn and future studies should assess comparatively long-term outcomes both for safety and efficacy.
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The management of atrial fibrillation has seen marked changes in recent years. This is the result of better knowledge of the pathophysiology and risks factors for atrial fibrillation, better stratification for thromboembolic and bleeding risks, changing practices in anticoagulation management, and the development of new antiarrhythmic drugs. This article focuses on these new issues, with particular attention to their relevance in the perioperative period. ⋯ Better knowledge of the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation and improved awareness of the risks associated with this frequent arrhythmia are continuing to improve the management of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation and new-onset atrial fibrillation in the perioperative period. As with most complex disease processes, treatment decisions must be individualized for each patient and clinical context.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2014
ReviewCurrent management of von Willebrand disease and von Willebrand syndrome.
Anesthesiologists frequently care for patients with altered hemostasis and coagulation. Where a clear history of familial and personal bleeding exists, a thoughtful plan can be developed in advance to manage the issue perioperatively. However, in some cases, it may not be known that the patient has a disorder until excessive bleeding is noted during or after surgery. Recognition of the issue and appropriate targeted therapy are the keys to successful management. ⋯ The mainstay of the diagnosis of vWD is laboratory testing. Preoperative clinical assessment and a high level of suspicion are often effective to alert the anesthesiologist to the possibility of vWS, thus allowing for appropriate testing and potential prophylaxis in elective situations, as well as appropriately targeted therapy of unexpected bleeding when a hemostatic derangement was not anticipated preoperatively.
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Five West African countries, including Nigeria are currently experiencing the largest, most severe, most complex outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history. This paper provided a chronology of outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in the West African sub-region and provided an update on efforts at containing the present outbreak. ⋯ The large number of people affected by the present outbreak in West Africa and the high case-fatality rate calls for accelerated evaluation and development of the investigational medical interventions for life saving and curbing the epidemic. Meanwhile, existing interventions such as early detection and isolation, contact tracing and monitoring, and adherence to rigorous procedures of infection prevention and control should be intensified.