The ASH Choosing Wisely® campaign: five hematologic tests and treatments to question

Bridging the evidence-to-practice gap: Advancing neonatal blood transfusion. A narrative review of recent guidelines

Neonates represent a distinct population within the context of transfusion medicine. Blood transfusions in neonates are vital interventions for multiple conditions, despite their inherent risks and potential complications. Differences in physiology and other transfusion risk factors unique to this group require careful adaptation of transfusion guidelines. This article seeks to offer a thorough overview of the current evidence-based practices for RBC administration in neonates. It covers the collection, processing and storage of RBCs and discusses the research underpinning the most recent transfusion guidelines. Furthermore, it emphasizes the challenges in establishing precise cut-off values for these conditions in both preterm and critically ill neonates and discusses indications for transfusion, thresholds, current guidelines, and potential complications. Finally, it highlights gaps in critical areas of transfusion related research and proposes future targets for research.

The Role of Hereditary Thrombophilia Testing in Management of First-Time Pulmonary Embolism

AIM

Hereditary thrombophilia (HT) testing is frequently conducted during the evaluation of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). However, the utility of routine HT testing in this setting is unclear. We sought to assess the association of HT with risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) following first-time PE.

METHODS

We conducted a multi-hospital retrospective study. Two hundred and ninety (290) patients with a first-time PE, who had been tested for HT, completed at least 3 months of therapeutic anticoagulation (AC), subsequently discontinued AC, and were followed for at least 36 months thereafter, were included.

RESULTS

HT was present in 48 of the 290 included patients (17%). Median follow-up after discontinuing AC was 61 months (interquartile range, 43-79 months). The overall recurrence rate of VTE during follow-up was 58 per 290 (20%). A total of 47 of 242 patients (19%) in the HT-absent group had a recurrent VTE, compared with 11 of 48 (22%) in the HT-present group. There was no significant difference in VTE-free survival between groups on Kaplan-Meier analysis; the hazard ratio (HR) for VTE recurrence for those with HT compared to those without (HR HT-present: HT-absent) was 1.240 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.614-2.502; p=0.548). On multivariable analysis, HT was not associated with risk of recurrent VTE (HR 1.262; 95% CI 0.640-2.488), and the only variable associated with VTE recurrence was unprovoked PE (HR 2.954; 95% CI 1.64-5.314).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate that the presence of HT is not associated with the risk of recurrent VTE following first PE, and support limiting the use of HT testing among patients with first PE.

A Comprehensive Review of Risk Factors and Thrombophilia Evaluation in Venous Thromboembolism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There are many factors, both acquired and inherited, known to increase the risk of VTE. Most of these result in increased risk via several common mechanisms including circulatory stasis, endothelial damage, or increased hypercoagulability. Overall, a risk factor can be identified in the majority of patients with VTE; however, not all risk factors carry the same predictive value. It is important for clinicians to understand the potency of each individual risk factor when managing patients who have a VTE or are at risk of developing VTE. With this, many providers consider performing a thrombophilia evaluation to further define a patient's risk. However, guidance on who to test and when to test is controversial and not always clear. This comprehensive review attempts to address these aspects/concerns by providing an overview of the multifaceted risk factors associated with VTE as well as examining the role of performing a thrombophilia evaluation, including the indications and timing of performing such an evaluation.

The dos, don'ts, and nuances of thrombophilia testing

Considerable progress has been made in elucidating genetic and biologic risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Despite being able to identify heritable defects in a substantial proportion of patients with VTE, testing has not, in general, proven useful in management. Despite efforts to reduce inappropriate testing, it often falls to the hematologist to consult on patients having undergone thrombophilia testing. Through a series of cases, we discuss how D-dimer testing can be helpful in VTE recurrence risk stratification in younger women as well as how to approach patients with persistently elevated D-dimer levels in the absence of thrombosis. While elevated factor VIII coagulant activity levels are a significant risk factor for a first episode of VTE, its biologic basis is not fully understood, and studies have not shown it to be a useful predictor of recurrence. Abnormal results of genetic tests for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase or plasminogen activator 1 promoter polymorphisms may be encountered, which carry little if any thrombotic risk and should never be ordered. We also discuss protein S deficiency, the most difficult of the hereditary thrombophilias to diagnose due to a wider "normal" range in the general population as compared with protein C, the presence of both free and bound forms in plasma, and the characteristics of the various assays in use. We also present a rare type of protein C deficiency that can be missed by functional assays using an amidolytic rather than a clotting end point.

Integration of PET in DLBCL

F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) is the gold-standard imaging modality for staging and response assessment for most lymphomas. This review focuses on the utility of 18FDG-PET/CT, and its role in staging, prognostication and response assessment in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), including emerging possibilities for future use.

Patterns of Diagnostic Evaluation and Determinants of Treatment in Older Patients With Non-transfusion Dependent Myelodysplastic Syndromes

BACKGROUND

Older patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), particularly those with no or one cytopenia and no transfusion dependence, typically have an indolent course. Approximately, half of these receive the recommended diagnostic evaluation (DE) for MDS. We explored factors determining DE in these patients and its impact on subsequent treatment and outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used 2011-2014 Medicare data to identify patients ≥66 years of age diagnosed with MDS. We used Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis to identify combinations of factors associated with DE and its impact on subsequent treatment. Variables examined included demographics, comorbidities, nursing home status, and investigative procedures performed. We conducted a logistic regression analysis to identify correlates associated with receipt of DE and treatment.

RESULTS

Of 16 851 patients with MDS, 51% underwent DE. patients with MDS with no cytopenia (n = 3908) had the lowest uptake of DE (34.7%). Compared to patients with no cytopenia, those with any cytopenia had nearly 3 times higher odds of receiving DE [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.81: 95% CI, 2.60-3.04] and the odds were higher for men than for women [AOR, 1.39: 95%CI, 1.30-1.48] and for Non-Hispanic Whites [vs. everyone else (AOR, 1.17: 95% CI, 1.06-1.29)]. The CART showed DE as the principal discriminating node, followed by the presence of any cytopenia for receiving MDS treatment. The lowest percentage of treatment was observed in patients without DE, at 14.6%.

CONCLUSION

In this select older patients with MDS, we identified disparities in accurate diagnosis by demographic and clinical factors. Receipt of DE influenced subsequent treatment but not survival.

Differential impact of transfusion guidelines on blood transfusion practices within a health network

Whether clinical practice guidelines have a significant impact on practice is unclear. The effect of guideline recommendations on clinical practice often a lags behind the date of publication. We evaluated by means of a data-driven approach if and when the guidelines on red blood cell transfusions (RBCTs) issued by Swiss Smarter Medicine in 2016 had an impact on RBCTs practice within a hospital network, where awareness of guidelines was promoted mainly among internal medicine specialties. Data on RBCTs performed in a Swiss hospital network from January 2014 to April 2021 were analyzed by hospital site and specialty to assess whether guidelines led to a decrease in inappropriate RBCTs. RBCTs were defined as "inappropriate" if patients had a hemoglobin level ≥ 70 g/L without or ≥ 80 g/L with significant cardiovascular comorbidities. Changes in the rate of inappropriate transfusions were analyzed with an advanced statistical approach that included generalized additive models. Overall prior to March 2017 there were more inappropriate than appropriate RBCTs, but after October 2017 the opposite could be observed. A change-point in the time trend was estimated from transfusion data to occur in the time interval between March and October 2017. This change was mainly driven by practice changes in the medical wards, while no significant change was observed in the critical care, surgical and oncology wards. Change in practice varied by hospital site. In conclusion, our results show that a significant change in the RBCTs practice at the hospital level occurred approximately 18 months after national guidelines were issued.

Adherence to thrombophilia testing guidelines and its influence on anticoagulation therapy: A single-center cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

The collected evidence on thrombophilia guidelines is scarce and data about their impact on clinical decisions are unknown. We aimed to investigate the adherence to thrombophilia testing guidelines, its therapeutic impact in patients with guideline-adherent and non-adherent testing and identify the patients' clinical characteristics mostly associated with treatment decisions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center cross-sectional study of patients referred for thrombophilia testing at the outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital between 01/2010-10/2020. We systematically evaluated the adherence of thrombophilia testing to internal guidelines and the influence of test results on anticoagulation therapy. Using multivariable logistic regression, we evaluated the association between clinical characteristics and influence of thrombophilia tests on anticoagulation therapy in the entire cohort and by indication for referral.

RESULTS

Of 3686 included patients, mostly referred for venous thromboembolism (2407, 65 %) or arterial thrombosis (591, 16 %), 3550 patients (96 %) underwent thrombophilia testing. Indication for testing was according to guidelines in 1208 patients (33 %). Test results influenced treatment decisions in 56 of 1102 work-ups (5.1 %) that were adherent to guidelines, and in 237 of 2448 (9.7 %) non-adherent work-ups (absolute difference, 4.3 %; 95 % confidence interval, 2.9-6.3 %). Age < 50 years, female sex, absence of risk factors and co-morbidities, weakly provoked venous thromboembolism and referral indication other than venous thromboembolism were associated with influence on anticoagulation therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence to guidelines for thrombophilia testing was poor and did not have an impact on treatment decisions. Refinement of selection criteria is needed to increase the therapeutic impact of thrombophilia testing.

Choosing which in-hospital laboratory tests to target for intervention: a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Some laboratory testing practices may be of low value, leading to wasted resources and potential patient harm. Our scoping review investigated factors and processes that developers report using to inform decisions about what tests to target for practice improvement.

METHODS

We searched Medline on May 30th, 2019 and June 28th, 2021 and included guidelines, recommendation statements, or empirical studies related to test ordering practices. Studies were included if they were conducted in a tertiary care setting, reported making a choice about a specific test requiring intervention, and reported at least one factor informing that choice. We extracted descriptive details, tests chosen, processes used to make the choice, and factors guiding test choice.

RESULTS

From 114 eligible studies, we identified 30 factors related to test choice including clinical value, cost, prevalence of test, quality of test, and actionability of test results. We identified nine different processes used to inform decisions regarding where to spend intervention resources.

CONCLUSIONS

Intervention developers face difficult choices when deciding where to put scarce resources intended to improve test utilization. Factors and processes identified here can be used to inform a framework to help intervention developers make choices relevant to improving testing practices.

Reducing inappropriate inpatient thrombophilia testing through an electronic health record intervention

Current literature does not support routine testing for hereditary and acquired thrombophilia disorders in the inpatient setting. Testing in the acute setting rarely changes patient management or could lead to patient mismanagement. Despite prior educational interventions, continued overuse of inpatient testing warrants further quality improvement measures. A hard-stop best practice advisory pop-up was implemented in the electronic medical record in a multicenter academic hospital system to provide clinicians guidance on the appropriate use of thrombophilia testing at the point of care. Pre- and postintervention retrospective data were collected to assess clinical features before and after implementation. Before the intervention, 271 patients underwent inpatient hypercoagulability testing; after the intervention, 238 patients underwent inpatient hypercoagulability testing. The total number of labs ordered per patient decreased from 1185 to 910, a 13% reduction (P = 0.003). Overall, there was a savings of $23,597 in total direct cost and $123,153 in total charges when comparing the 6-month timeframes before and after the intervention (P < 0.01). Although this study found only mild reductions in thrombophilia testing, it presents a new means of providing point-of-care intervention and education for hypercoagulability testing in the inpatient setting.

The role of surveillance computed tomography in patients with follicular lymphoma

Introduction

Surveillance computed tomography (CT) is performed during the follow-up of patients with lymphoma who have completed initial therapy. However, studies on the clinical benefit of surveillance CT for patients with incurable subtypes, such as follicular lymphoma (FL), are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the value of surveillance CT for patients with FL after achieving the first complete response (CR) or CR unconfirmed in the rituximab era.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with FL who achieved CR with first-line treatment between 2000 and 2016 at our institution. In patients who experienced first relapse, we examined the patient's clinical characteristics at the time of relapse, subsequent therapies, and post-relapse survival, based on the method of relapse detection.

Results

Of the 248 patients who achieved CR after initial therapy, 109 had a relapse, with a median follow-up of 11 years; 100 were enrolled into this study. Relapse was detected by surveillance CT in 61 patients (surveillance CT group) and by means other than surveillance CT, such as the presence of patient-reported symptoms, physical findings, and blood work-up abnormalities (non-surveillance CT group), in 39 patients. There was no significant difference in the patients' characteristics at the time of relapse between the two groups, except for a higher incidence of extranodal involvement in the non-surveillance CT group. The method of relapse detection did not affect therapeutic selection after relapse and post-relapse survival. In this study, 86.8% of the 38 patients who relapsed with only deep lesions, such as mesenteric or retroperitoneal lymph nodes, had surveillance CT-detected relapse.

Conclusion

Surveillance CT did not show any clinical benefit for patients with FL in CR; however, it might lead to early detection of relapse in cases of deep lesions that cannot be identified without imaging.

Hereditary Thrombophilia Testing Among Hospitalized Patients: Is It Warranted?

Background

Hereditary thrombophilias (HTs) are a group of inherited disorders that predispose the carrier to venous thromboembolism (VTE). It is estimated that 7% of the population has some form of HT. Although testing for HT has become routine for many hospitalized patients, knowing when to order the tests and how to interpret the results remains challenging. In the United States, there are no clear guidelines regarding testing for HT. We conducted a study to evaluate the utilization of HT testing among hospitalized patients to examine its impact on immediate management decisions and overall cost burden. In addition, we discuss the common reasons for healthcare providers to order these tests and review the data behind these reasons in the literature.

Methodology

A retrospective analysis of 2,402 patients who underwent HT testing between February 1, 2016, and January 31, 2018, was conducted. Eligible patients had at least one HT test ordered during hospitalization. The primary outcome was to determine the incidence of positive actionable tests. A positive actionable test was defined as a positive result that changed the anticoagulation intensity, type, or duration. Patients with a history of previous VTE, ongoing medical conditions requiring life-long anticoagulation, or unprovoked VTE were considered non-actionable.

Results

Among the 2,402 patients, 954 patients met the inclusion criteria with a mean age of 54 years. A total of 397 (41.6%) tests were ordered for acute VTE, while the rest were for non-VTE conditions, such as stroke, pregnancy complications, peripheral artery diseases, and others. Only 89 positive tests were actionable (14% of the positive tests, and 9.3% of the total ordered tests). There was a statistically significant association between increasing age and having both a positive test result (p = 0.006) and an actionable test (p = 0.046). The total cost of ordering these tests was estimated to be $566,585.

Conclusions

HT testing in the inpatient setting did not alter management in many cases and was associated with increased healthcare costs. The decision to order these tests should be individualized based on the clinical scenario.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Indication to Screen for Thrombophilia?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are systemic conditions characterized by multiple intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations related to the associated chronic inflammatory state. Among their diverse extra-intestinal complications, venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains one of the most under recognized causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of hypercoagulability, in addition to the role of acquired and inherited risk factors that further increase the risk of thrombosis with its impact on patients’ outcomes. We hereby present a review of the data regarding thrombosis in the setting of IBD, elucidating the possible role for screening in this high-risk category of patients and specifically in areas where inherited thrombophilia is expected to be highly prevalent, reporting two patients with IBD, one who developed a cerebrovascular event and another one who had recurrent VTE events; nevertheless, both of them had inherited thrombophilic mutations. The identification of specific genetic abnormalities in those patients reintroduces the controversy related to the need to screen a specific category of patients with IBD for hereditary thrombophilia, especially in regions characterized by a higher prevalence of such thrombophilic alterations.

The ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely Campaign: 5 hematologic tests and treatments to question

Choosing Wisely is a medical stewardship and quality-improvement initiative led by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation in collaboration with leading medical societies in the United States. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has been an active participant in the Choosing Wisely project. In 2019, ASH and the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) formed a joint task force to solicit, evaluate, and select items for a pediatric-focused Choosing Wisely list. By using an iterative process and an evidence-based method, the ASH-ASPHO Task Force identified 5 hematologic tests and treatments that health care providers and patients should question because they are not supported by evidence, and/or they involve risks of medical and financial costs with low likelihood of benefit. The ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely recommendations are as follows: (1) avoid routine preoperative hemostatic testing in an otherwise healthy child with no previous personal or family history of bleeding, (2) avoid platelet transfusion in asymptomatic children with a platelet count >10 × 10³/μL unless an invasive procedure is planned, (3) avoid thrombophilia testing in children with venous access-associated thrombosis and no positive family history, (4) avoid packed red blood cells transfusion for asymptomatic children with iron deficiency anemia and no active bleeding, and (5) avoid routine administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for prophylaxis of children with asymptomatic autoimmune neutropenia and no history of recurrent or severe infections. We recommend that health care providers carefully consider the anticipated risks and benefits of these identified tests and treatments before performing them.

[G-CSF for prophylaxis of neutropenia and febrile neutropenia, anemia in cancer : Guidelines on supportive treatment part 1]

Infections in patients with neutropenia following chemotherapy are mostly manifested as fever (febrile neutropenia, FN). Some of the most important determinants of the risk of FN are the type of chemotherapy, the dose intensity and patient-specific factors. When the risk of FN is 20% or more granulopoiesis is prophylactically stimulated with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) after the treatment. Anemia should always be clarified and if necessary be treated according to the cause when symptomatic. If an absolute or functional iron deficiency is present, intravenous iron substitution is mostly necessary. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents can be used after chemotherapy with hemoglobin (Hb) levels less than 10 g/dl (6.2 mmol/l). In cases of chronic anemia and Hb levels less than 7-8 g/dl (<4.3-5.0 mmol/l) the indications for transfusion of erythrocyte concentrates should be assessed primarily based on the individual clinical symptoms.

Geriatric Choosing Wisely choice of recommendations in France: a pragmatic approach based on clinical audits

Background

The international Choosing Wisely campaign seeks to improve the appropriateness of care, notably through large campaigns among physicians and users designed to raise awareness of the risks inherent in overmedication.

Methods

In deploying the Choosing Wisely campaign, the French Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology chose early operationalization via a tool for clinical audit over a limited area before progressive dissemination. This enabled validation of four consensual recommendations concerning the management of urinary tract infections, the prolonged use of anxiolytics, the use of neuroleptics in dementia syndromes, and the use of statins in primary prevention. The fifth recommendation concerns the importance of a dialogue on the level of care. It was written by patient representatives directly involved in the campaign.

Results

The first cross-regional campaign in France involved 5337 chart screenings in 43 health facilities. Analysis of the results showed an important variability in practices between institutions and significant percentage of inappropriate prescriptions, notably of psychotropic medication.

Discussion

The high rate of participation of target institutions shows that geriatrics professionals are interested in the evaluation and optimization of professional practices. Frequent overuse of psychotropic medication highlights the need of campaigns to raise awareness and encourage deprescribing.

Evaluation of thrombophilia testing in the inpatient setting: A single institution retrospective review

BACKGROUND

Thrombophilia workup is typically inappropriate in the inpatient setting as testing may be skewed by anticoagulation, acute thrombosis, or acute illness.

OBJECTIVE

To determine adherence of inpatient thrombophilia testing with institutional guidelines.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study to evaluate thrombophilia testing practices of adult patients who were admitted to Lehigh Valley Hospital at Cedar Crest with either venous thromboembolism or ischemic stroke in 2019. Testing included inherited and acquired thrombophilia. Patient charts were individually reviewed for three measured outcomes: 1) the number of appropriate thrombophilia testing in the inpatient setting; 2) the indications used for thrombophilia testing; 3) the proportion of positive thrombophilia tests with change in clinical management.

RESULTS

201 patients were included in our study. 26 patients (13%) were tested appropriately in accordance with institution guidelines and 175 (87%) patients were tested inappropriately. The most common reason for the inappropriate testing was testing during acute thrombosis. 28 of the 201 patients had positive thrombophilia tests, but the reviewers only noted 7 patients with change in clinical management-involving anticoagulation change.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that a majority of inpatient thrombophilia testing did not follow institutional guidelines for appropriate testing and did not change patient management. These thrombophilia tests are often overutilized and have minimal clinical utility in the inpatient setting.

Thrombophilia testing in the era of direct oral anticoagulants

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is increasingly recognised in primary and secondary care practice. The arrival of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has made the management of VTE easier and more convenient. Some patients established on DOACs may need screening for underlying thrombophilias as certain thrombophilic conditions are known to confer a higher thrombosis risk, although the guidelines for when and how to test for a thrombophilia, especially in a patient taking a DOAC, are unclear. This literature review aims to examine when thrombophilia screening should take place in a patient already taking a DOAC, the effect of DOACs on thrombophilia tests, and analyse whether DOACs are safe and effective in both inherited and acquired thrombophilias.

Patient blood management and blood conservation - Complimentary concepts and solutions for blood establishments and clinical services in South Africa and beyond

Blood transfusions come with risks and high costs, and should be utilized only when clinically indicated. Decisions to transfuse are however not always well informed, and lack of clinician knowledge and education on good clinical transfusion practices contribute to the inappropriate use of blood. Low and middle-income countries in particular take much strain in their efforts to address blood safety challenges, demand-supply imbalances, high blood costs as well as high disease burdens, all of which impact blood usage and blood collections. Patient blood management (PBM), which is a patient-focused approach aimed at improving patient outcomes by preemptively diagnosing and correcting anaemia and limiting blood loss by cell salvage, coagulation optimization and other measures, has become a major approach to addressing many of the challenges mentioned. The associated decrease in the use of blood and blood products may be perceived as being in competition with blood conservation measures, which is the more traditional, but primarily product-focused approach. In this article, we hope to convey the message that PBM and blood conservation should not be seen as competing concepts, but rather complimentary strategies with the common goal of improving patient care. This offers opportunity to improve the culture of transfusion practices with relief to blood establishments and clinical services, not only in South Africa and LMICs, but everywhere. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting blood supplies worldwide, this is an ideal time to call for educational interventions and awareness as an active strategy to improve transfusion practices, immediately and beyond.

Comparison of 18F-labelled fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-PET with conventional computed tomography for staging and response assessment in paediatric and adult patients with nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is an uncommon subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma. Data are limited regarding 18F-labelled fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-PET use in NLPHL. We are reporting our experience with FDG-PET utility in staging and response assessment NLPHL patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied a population of all newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory patients who underwent both pre-treatment contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CeCT) and an FDG-PET and also at the end of planned treatment.

RESULTS

We identified 68 patients found to have in total 312 scans, 78 paired pre-therapeutic and post-treatment CeCT and FDG-PET scans. Among them, 55 were male, with a median follow-up was 48 months. Median SUV-max was 8.3 (2.0-21.0). FDG-PET and CeCT were concordant in 80% (62/78) of staging scans. In 20% (16/78) of patients in whom a discordance was observed, FDG-PET resulted in upstaging in 13 scans and downstaging in 3 scans. The sensitivity of CeCT was 92% for nodal staging and 42% for extralymphatic staging when compared to FDG-PET. The specificity of CeCT was 98% as compared to FDG-PET. For response assessment, there was poor agreement between the CeCT and FDG-PET in assigning complete remission of disease scores as FDG-PET was able to identify the absence of disease despite the presence of a radiologically evident residual mass on CeCT. The sensitivity for CeCT compared to FDG-PET was 100% while the specificity was 43% for detection of post-treatment response.

CONCLUSION

For NLPHL, pre-therapeutic FDG-PET scan is better than CeCT staging. FDG-PET has much better specificity for response assessment than CeCT.

The ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely Campaign: 5 hematologic tests and treatments to question

Choosing Wisely is a medical stewardship and quality-improvement initiative led by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation in collaboration with leading medical societies in the United States. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has been an active participant in the Choosing Wisely project. In 2019, ASH and the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) formed a joint task force to solicit, evaluate, and select items for a pediatric-focused Choosing Wisely list. By using an iterative process and an evidence-based method, the ASH-ASPHO Task Force identified 5 hematologic tests and treatments that health care providers and patients should question because they are not supported by evidence, and/or they involve risks of medical and financial costs with low likelihood of benefit. The ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely recommendations are as follows: (1) avoid routine preoperative hemostatic testing in an otherwise healthy child with no previous personal or family history of bleeding, (2) avoid platelet transfusion in asymptomatic children with a platelet count 10 × 10³ /μL unless an invasive procedure is planned, (3) avoid thrombophilia testing in children with venous access-associated thrombosis and no positive family history, (4) avoid packed red blood cells transfusion for asymptomatic children with iron deficiency anemia and no active bleeding, and (5) avoid routine administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for prophylaxis of children with asymptomatic autoimmune neutropenia and no history of recurrent or severe infections. We recommend that health care providers carefully consider the anticipated risks and benefits of these identified tests and treatments before performing them.

Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Gynecologic Surgery: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 232

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are collectively referred to as "venous thromboembolic events" (VTE). Despite advances in prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment, VTE remains a leading cause of cost, disability, and death in postoperative and hospitalized patients (1, 2). Beyond the acute sequelae of leg pain, edema, and respiratory distress, VTE may result in chronic conditions, including postthrombotic syndrome (3), venous insufficiency, and pulmonary hypertension. This Practice Bulletin has been revised to reflect updated literature on the prevention of VTE in patients undergoing gynecologic surgery and the current surgical thromboprophylaxis guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians (4). Discussion of gynecologic surgery and chronic antithrombotic therapy is beyond the scope of this document.

Multidisciplinary Practice Variations of Anti-Thrombotic Strategies for Free Tissue Transfers

Background: Venous thrombosis, the leading cause of free flap failure, may have devastating consequences. Many anti-thrombotic agents and protocols have been described for prophylaxis and treatment of venous thrombosis in free flaps. Methods: National surveys were distributed to microsurgeons (of both Plastics and ENT training) and hematology and thrombosis specialists. Data were collected on routine screening practices, perceived risk factors for flap failure, and pre-, intra-, and post-operative anti-thrombotic strategies. Results: There were 722 surveys distributed with 132 (18%) respondents, consisting of 102 surgeons and 30 hematologists. Sixty-five surgeons and 9 hematologists routinely performed or managed patients with free flaps. The top 3 perceived risk factors for flap failure according to surgeons were medical co-morbidities, past arterial thrombosis, and thrombophilia. Hematologists, however, reported diabetes, smoking, and medical co-morbidities as the most important risk factors. Fifty-four percent of physicians routinely used unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) as a preoperative agent. Surgeons routinely flushed the flap with heparin (37%), used UFH IV (6%), or both (8%) intra-operatively. Surgeons used a range of post-operative agents such as UFH, LMWH, aspirin, and dextran while hematologists preferred LMWH. There was variation of management strategies if flap thrombosis occurred. Different strategies consisted of changing recipient vessels, UFH IV, flushing the flap, adding post-operative agents, or a combination of strategies. Conclusions: There are diverse practice variations in anti-thrombotic strategies for free tissue transfers and a difference in perceived risk factors for flap failure that may affect patient management.

Surveillance imaging during first remission in follicular lymphoma does not impact overall survival

BACKGROUND

Although many patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) undergo routine radiographic surveillance during their first remission, no consensus exists on the modality, duration, frequency, or need for routine imaging studies. The authors retrospectively examined the effect of surveillance imaging on relapse detection and overall survival (OS) in patients with FL.

METHODS

Patients with newly diagnosed FL who had a response to induction therapy were identified from the Lymphoid Malignancies Enterprise Architecture Database (LEAD) at Emory University and from the Molecular Epidemiology Resource (MER) of the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic. Patients were evaluated for both relapse and method of relapse detection (ie, clinical concerns vs radiologic detection through surveillance imaging in an asymptomatic patient).

RESULTS

Of 148 patients in the LEAD cohort, 55 (37%) relapsed, and the majority (n = 35; 64%) of relapses were detected clinically. In the MER cohort, 63 of 177 relapses (54%) were detected clinically. There was no significant difference in OS from the date of diagnosis between the 2 methods of relapse detection in the LEAD (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.13-2.94; P = .54) and MER (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.47-2.21; P = .96) cohorts. Similarly, there was no significant difference in OS from the date of relapse between the 2 methods of relapse detection in the LEAD (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.10-2.27; P = .35) and MER (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.47-2.21; P = .96) cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest a limited role for routine surveillance imaging in patients with FL who complete front-line therapy. Future studies should evaluate which patients may benefit from a more aggressive surveillance approach and should explore novel methods of relapse detection.

Venous Thromboembolism: Genetics and Thrombophilias

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Up to one half of patients who present with VTE will have an underlying thrombophilic defect. This knowledge has led to a widespread practice of testing for such defects in patients who develop VTE. However, identifying a hereditary thrombophilia by itself does not necessarily change outcomes or dictate therapy. Furthermore, family history of VTE by itself can increase an asymptomatic person's VTE risk several-fold, independent of detecting a known inherited thrombophilia. In this article, we will describe the current validated hereditary thrombophilias including their history, prevalence, and association with VTE. With a focus on evaluating both risks and benefits of testing, we will also explore the controversies of why, who, and when to test as well as discuss contemporary societal guidelines. Lastly, we will share how these tests have been integrated into clinical practice and how to best utilize them in the future.

Modified pediatric lung ultrasound score compared with computed tomography for assessment of lung aeration in children

BACKGROUND

Lung ultrasound can be used to assess lung density and aeration at the bedside. Few authors have investigated scores based on the ultrasonographic interstitial syndrome for this purpose, but none have compared them with the gold standard computed tomography in children.

METHODS

Children <10 kilograms undergoing a chest computed tomography for clinical purposes at a tertiary hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit were enrolled in the study. An ultrasound scan was performed shortly after computed tomography. Each hemithorax was divided in six zones, and each zone was scored: 1, no B lines; 2, <3 B lines; 3, >3 well separated B lines; 4, crowded, coalescent B lines; 5, white lung; 6, consolidation. The pediatric lung ultrasound score was obtained by adding all zones. Interobserver variation for two separate operators was calculated.

RESULTS

Ten children, median age 95 days (range 23-721) were enrolled. Mean pediatric lung ultrasound score had a significant correlation with lung density (r=0.68) and percentage of hypoaerated lung (r=0.51). Median density and percentage of hypoaerated lung increased along the ultrasound patterns values (P<0.05) although not all patterns were significantly different from adjacent ones in the pairwise comparison. Interobserver variability in scoring of ultrasonographic patterns was moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

The pediatric lung ultrasound score correlates with lung density and percentage of hypoaerated lung measured with computed tomography.

Senescent Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Functional Alterations, Molecular Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Strategies

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal hematopoietic disorders related to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell dysfunction. However, therapies that are currently used to target hematopoietic stem cells are not effective. These therapies are able to slow the evolution toward acute myeloid leukemia but cannot eradicate the disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been identified as one of the main cellular components of the bone marrow microenvironment, which plays an indispensable role in normal hematopoiesis. When functional and regenerative capacities of aging MSCs are diminished, some enter replicative senescence, which promotes inflammation and disease progression. Recent studies that investigated the contribution of bone marrow microenvironment and MSCs to the initiation and progression of the disease have offered new insights into the MDS. This review presents the latest updates on the role of MSCs in the MDS and discusses potential targets for the treatment of MDS.

Age and Origin of the Founder Antithrombin Budapest 3 (p.Leu131Phe) Mutation; Its High Prevalence in the Roma Population and Its Association With Cardiovascular Diseases

Background: Antithrombin (AT) is one of the most important regulator of hemostasis. AT Budapest 3 (ATBp3) is a prevalent type II heparin-binding site (IIHBS) deficiency due to founder effect. Thrombosis is a complex disease including arterial (ATE) and venous thrombotic events (VTE) and the Roma population, the largest ethnic minority in Europe has increased susceptibility to these diseases partly due to their unfavorable genetic load. We aimed to calculate the age and origin of ATBp3 and to explore whether the frequency of it is higher in the Roma population as compared with the general population from the corresponding geographical area. We investigated the association of ATBp3 with thrombotic events in well-defined patients' populations in order to refine the recommendation when testing for ATBp3 is useful.

Methods and Results: Prevalence of ATBp3, investigated in large samples (n = 1,000 and 1,185 for general Hungarian and Roma populations, respectively) was considerably high, almost 3%, among Roma and the founder effect was confirmed in their samples, while it was absent in the Hungarian general population. Age of ATBp3—as calculated by analysis of 8 short tandem repeat sequences surrounding SERPINC1—was dated back to XVII Century, when Roma migration in Central and Eastern Europe occurred. In our IIHBS cohort (n = 230), VTE was registered in almost all ATBp3 homozygotes (93%) and in 44% of heterozygotes. ATE occurred with lower frequency in ATBp3 (around 6%); it was rather associated with AT Basel (44%). All patients with ATE were young at the time of diagnosis. Upon investigating consecutive young (<40 years) patients with ATE (n = 92) and VTE (n = 110), the presence of ATBp3 was remarkable.

Conclusions: ATBp3, a 400-year-old founder mutation is prevalent in Roma population and its Roma origin can reasonably be assumed. By the demonstration of the presence of ATBp3 in ATE patients, we draw the attention to consider type IIHBS AT deficiency in the background of not only VTE but also ATE, especially in selected populations as young patients without advanced atherosclerosis. We recommend including the investigation of ATBp3 as part of thrombosis risk assessment and stratification in Roma individuals.

A prospective multi-faceted interventional study of blood bank technologist screening of red blood cell transfusion orders: The START study

BACKGROUND

Transfusion of red blood cells (RBC) is a common procedure, which when prescribed inappropriately can result in adverse patient outcomes. This study sought to determine the impact of a multi-faceted intervention on unnecessary RBC transfusions at hospitals with a baseline appropriateness below 90%.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A prospective medical chart audit of RBC transfusions was conducted across 15 hospitals. For each site, 10 RBCs per month transfused to inpatients were audited for a 5-month pre- and 10-month post-intervention period, with each transfusion adjudicated for appropriateness based on pre-set criteria. Hospitals with appropriateness rates below 90% underwent a 3-month intervention which included: adoption of standardized RBC guidelines, staff education, and prospective transfusion order screening by blood bank technologists. Proportions of RBC transfusions adjudicated as appropriate and the total number of RBC units transfused per month in the pre- and post-intervention period were examined.

RESULTS

Over the 15-month audit period, at the 13 hospital sites with a baseline appropriateness below 90%, 1950 patients were audited of which 81.2% were adjudicated as appropriate. Proportions of appropriateness and single-unit orders increased from 73.5% to 85% and 46.2% to 68.2%, respectively from pre- to post-intervention (P < .0001). Pre- and post-transfusion hemoglobin levels and the total number of RBCs transfused decreased from baseline (P < .05). The median pre-transfusion hemoglobin decreased from a baseline of 72.0 g/L to 69.0 g/L in the post-intervention period (P < .0001). RBC transfusions per acute inpatient days decreased significantly in intervention hospitals, but not in control hospitals (P < .001). The intervention had no impact on patient length of stay, need for intensive care support, or in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

This multifaceted intervention demonstrated a marked improvement in RBC transfusion appropriateness and reduced overall RBC utilization without impacts on patient safety.

Anticoagulation in Italian patients with venous thromboembolism and thrombophilic alterations: findings from START2 register study

BACKGROUND

Randomised control trials have assessed the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants in the prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Positive but limited results have been reported in patients with inherited thrombophilia. Using an Italian, multicentre, prospective registry of consecutive patients presenting with symptomatic, acute VTE, we aimed to assess which factors are involved in making the choice of the drug that best fits the patient's risk profile in a large real-world setting of VTE patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We investigated 4,866 VTE patients who took oral anticoagulants in the period between 2012 and April 2018 to prevent a new thromboembolic episode.

RESULTS

The large majority of patients who underwent thrombophilic screening, regardless of the results obtained, were prescribed direct oral anticoagulants rather than conventional anticoagulant therapy (p<0.001). During anticoagulation, bleeding events occurred more frequently in patients on conventional anticoagulant therapy (4.2%) than in those receiving direct oral anticoagulants (1.8%) and an increase in bleeding events was observed in patients who tested positive at the thrombophilic screening. Overall, a higher number of recurrent VTE was observed in patients not screened for thrombophilia (n=36; 1.7%) than in those screened (n=20; 0.7%; adjusted odds ratio: 2.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-4.1).

DISCUSSION

The present data confirm previous findings from other post-marketing registries and suggest that the choice of oral anticoagulation is strongly driven by patients' characteristics and VTE manifestations. Factors leading to the prescription of thrombophilic screening may identify a patient with a lower risk of VTE recurrence during anticoagulation.

The utility of thrombophilia testing in patients with newly diagnosed portal vein thrombosis

: Thrombophilia testing is frequently performed in both seemingly provoked and unprovoked portal vein thrombosis (PVT), yet the clinical implications of these expensive laboratory tests are unknown. We investigated the frequency of clinical management changes in patients with newly diagnosed PVT. This is a retrospective analysis of adult patients with a newly diagnosed PVT at a single institution. The primary outcome is change in clinical management, defined as documented change in choice, dose, or duration of anticoagulation, future thromboprophylaxis, or counseling of asymptomatic family members. Five-hundred and forty-four patients with PVT were identified, 438 (80.5%) of whom had an identifiable pretesting provoking factor, most commonly cirrhosis (39.2%). Two-hundred ninety-one patients (53.5%) had at least one hypercoagulable laboratory test performed. The most frequently positive test was PAI-1 polymorphism, followed by elevated homocysteine and MTHFR mutational analysis. However, the only test that was frequently positive and consistently altered management was JAK2 mutational analysis (15.3%). Factor V Leiden was commonly positive but rarely changed clinical decision-making (1.5%), as was flow cytometric testing for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (0.8%), and antiphospholipid antibodies (0.7%). Patients with cirrhosis rarely had thrombophilia testing results that were clinically significant. A rough cost estimate was dramatically reduced from $231 000 to $76 000 if only clinically meaningful tests were employed in the hypercoagulable work-up. These results highlight the need for focused thrombophilia testing in patients with PVT.

Changes in Frequency of Surveillance Imaging of Survivors of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma After the American Society of Hematology Choosing Wisely Recommendations

In 2013, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) published recommendations with Choosing Wisely to limit surveillance imaging in aggressive lymphoma. We studied surveillance imaging practice patterns for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) before and after the ASH Choosing Wisely campaign. We used OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a national insurance claims database, to retrospectively study imaging frequency in survivors of DLBCL from 2008 to 2016. Three time periods were defined: Period 1 (2008 to 2010), Period 2 (2011 to 2013), and Period 3 (2014 to 2016). One thousand four hundred seventy-two patients were included. Median follow up was approximately 2 years. During the first and second years of surveillance, imaging remained stable between Period 1 (years 1 and 2: 199 [91%] and 137 [83%], respectively) and Period 2 (years 1 and 2: 257 [88%] and 172 [77%], respectively; P = .38), but decreased in Period 3 (years 1 and 2: 315 [78%] and 83 [61%], respectively; P < .01). In a multivariable logistic regression, year after 2012 was a significant predictor of decreased overuse (more than two scans per year in the first year of surveillance; [odds ratio, 0.49 for 2013 v 2008; P = .02]). Our study demonstrated the rate of surveillance scans-both computed tomography and positron emission tomography imaging-in DLBCL decreased after the ASH Choosing Wisely campaign. Multiple factors, such as changes in recommendations, reimbursement, and provider knowledge base, may have all contributed and should be studied further.

Navigating Ethical Practices in the Era of High Cost Hematology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In this review article, we will highlight ethical issues faced by hematologists due to a growing constellation of expensive diagnostics and therapeutics in hematology. We outline the important issues surrounding this topic including stakeholders, cost considerations, and various ethical challenges surrounding access to care, communication about costs, and individual vs. societal responsibilities. We review available tools to navigate these ethical themes and offer potential solutions.

RECENT FINDINGS

We identified several gaps in the literature on the topic of ethical issues in hematology treatment and supplement by non-hematological cancer and general medical literature. We propose proactive solutions to address these problems to include cost transparency, utilization of evidence-based decision making tools, application of the four quadrant approach to ethical care, and advanced systems-based practice curriculum for physician trainees.

Choosing Wisely® in Hematology: Have We Made a Difference?

Purpose of Review

The Choosing Wisely® initiative, led by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation in collaboration with national professional medical societies, aims to help patients choose care that is essential, free from harm, and evidence-based. The American Society of Hematology has advocated practices specific to hematology for physicians and patients to examine carefully. Here, we summarize various barriers to adopting these practices, interventions used to improve adoption, and challenges in measuring the effectiveness of these interventions.

Recent Findings

The Choosing Wisely® campaign has become an international effort with more than 20 countries worldwide having embraced it. Such widespread interest indicates that the campaign initiated an important dialog between patients and physicians about overutilization of resources. Evidence showing the positive impact of interventions on adopting these practices is accumulating, but their effect on improving clinical outcomes is uncertain.

Summary

Decreasing overuse of resources is a cultural change in perspective for practitioners and patients alike. We believe that healthcare delivery is transitioning from being volume-based to value-based. As we continue to support the Choosing Wisely® campaign, we need to implement strategies to document and measure the influence of our value-based recommendations on physician practices, patient care and attitudes, and healthcare costs.

Thrombophilia evaluation in pulmonary embolism

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Patients with pulmonary embolism commonly undergo thrombophilia evaluation for a variety of reasons including risk stratification for recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and treatment planning. However, the utility of thrombophilia testing in many clinical scenarios remains unclear. This review evaluates current recommendations for thrombophilia testing described in consensus VTE guidelines, recent literature on the clinical application of these recommendations, novel genetic assessments for hereditary thrombophilias, and studies evaluating use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in VTE patients with thrombophilias.

RECENT FINDINGS

Current VTE guidelines advise limited use of thrombophilia testing, recognizing that testing may be misinterpreted and frequently does not lead to a change in management. Testing and test results are not necessarily benign, are frequently misinterpreted, and can lead to increased anxiety in both patients and clinicians. Recent studies have offered innovative techniques to better align clinical practice with these recommendations as well as expanded genomic assessments to improve the scope and predictive value of thrombophilia testing. There is also emerging literature on the appropriateness of direct oral anticoagulant therapy for VTE patients with hereditary thrombophilias or antiphospholipid syndrome.

SUMMARY

Thrombophilia testing in its current form does not significantly impact clinical management or improve outcomes for most VTE patients. Therefore, it should be employed judiciously and only in patients for whom it is likely to alter clinical management. Novel expanded genomic thrombophilia testing approaches and additional studies evaluating optimal anticoagulant treatment in various thrombophilia subpopulations will make thrombophilia testing more useful for patients moving forward.

A Narrative Review on Hospital-Acquired Anemia: Keeping Blood where It Belongs

Hospital-acquired anemia (HAA) is a prevalent condition that is independently associated with worse clinical outcomes including prolongation of hospital stay and increased morbidity and mortality. While multifactorial in general, iatrogenic blood loss has been long recognized as one of the key contributing factors to development and worsening of HAA during hospital stay. Patients can be losing over 50 mL of blood per day to diagnostic blood draws. Strategies such as elimination of unnecessary laboratory tests that are not likely to alter the course of management, use of pediatric-size or small-volume tubes for blood collection to reduce phlebotomy volumes and avoid blood wastage, use of closed blood sampling devices, and substituting invasive tests with point-of-care testing alone or bundled together have generally been shown to be effective in reducing the volume of iatrogenic blood loss, hemoglobin decline, and blood transfusions, with no negative impact on the availability of test results for the clinical team. These strategies are important components of Patient Blood Management programs and their adoption can lead to improved clinical outcomes for patients.

Comparison between thrombophilic gene polymorphisms among high risk patients

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to compare the role of the thrombophilic variants among two groups of high risk patients with vascular disorders and recurrent pregnancy loss.

Methods. 200 patients, including 76 with thrombotic accidents and 124 with two or more idiopathic recurrent miscarriage during the first trimester, were tested for the presence of Factor V (F V) Leiden G1691A, Factor II (F II) G20210A, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) 4G/5G, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphisms using Real time polymerase chain reaction (RT – PCR) in the Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Varna, Bulgaria between June 2016 and May 2019. Frequencies of thrombophilic gene polymorphisms were compared among the two populations and to the expected genotype frequencies.

Results. Individuals with a history of vascular disorders had a significantly higher frequency of F V Leiden variant compared to women with recurrent miscariage. There was no statistical difference between the analyzed patients for the other three thrombophilic polymorphisms. The allelic frequencies and the expected genotype frequencies of the F V, F II and MTHFR polymorphisms were calculated according to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The percentages of the homozygotes for F V and F II were higher than expected in the two groups of patients. For the MTHFR there was no difference.

Conclusion. F V Leiden remains the strongest risk factor for vascular disorders and recurrent pregnancy loss. Screening for this variant should be recommended to patients with thrombotic accidents and women with repeated miscarriage. The role of F II, PAI and MTHFR remains controversial.

Introduction to a review series on treatment of venous thrombotic disorders

In this Review Series, introduced by Associate Editor Thomas L. Ortel, experts contribute 6 seminal reviews that focus on the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adults and children, the management of VTE developing in unusual locations and in the setting of thrombophilia, and new targets and antithrombotic therapies in development.

Clinical decision support and improved blood use in patient blood management

Despite many years of published medical society guidelines for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion therapy, along with clinical trials that provide Level 1 evidence that restrictive transfusion practices can be used safely and are equivalent to transfusions given more liberally, annualized blood transfusion activity did not begin to decline in the United States until 2010. Adoption of electronic medical records has subsequently allowed implementation of clinical decision support (CDS): best practice alerts that can be initiated to improve the use of blood components. We describe our own institutional experience using a targeted CDS to promote restrictive blood transfusion practice and to improve RBC use. A 42% reduction in RBC transfusions was demonstrated at our institution from a baseline in 2008 through 2015, and the rate remained stable through 2018. Although the data cannot be used to infer causality, this decreased RBC use was accompanied by improved clinical outcomes.

Patient blood management as the standard of care

Blood transfusion is one of the most common hospital procedures in developed countries. However, inappropriate use of blood transfusion is common, and this is of considerable concern because transfusion is known to be associated with adverse events and is costly. Reductions in blood use have resulted from recent evidence indicating that restrictive use of red blood cell transfusions is associated with similar patient outcomes to liberal strategies and from a focus on patient blood management (PBM), which recognizes the importance of conserving the patient's own blood alongside the judicious use of transfusion. A recent Consensus Conference in Frankfurt developed practice and research recommendations for PBM but also indicated that additional studies are needed to provide better evidence for PBM interventions, including for improved patient outcomes and lower hospital costs as well as for reductions in blood utilization. In the meanwhile, it is of utmost importance to translate PBM guidelines into practical day-to-day recommendations and encourage their use to make PBM "the standard of care."

Cost burden of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Introduction: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is a clinically heterogeneous disease. Treatment pathways for DLBCL are diverse and integrate established and novel therapies.Areas covered: We review the cost burden of DLBCL and the cost-effectiveness of DLBCL management including precision and cellular medicine. We utilized Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords to search the National Library of Medicine online MEDLINE database (PubMed) for articles related to cost, cost burden, and cost-of-illness of DLBCL and cost-effectiveness of DLBCL management strategies published in English as of June 2019.Expert commentary: Available and developing DLBCL therapies offer improved outcomes and often curative treatment at considerable financial expense, and the total cost burden for DLBCL management is substantial for patients and the healthcare system. In the era of personalized medicine, CAR T cells and targeted therapies provide exciting avenues for current and future DLBCL care and can further increase treatment cost. Determinations of cost and cost-effectiveness in DLBCL treatment pathways should continue to guide care providers and systems in identifying cost reduction strategies to provide appropriate therapies to the greatest number of patients in treating DLBCL.

Discretionary Thrombophilia Test Acquisition and Outcomes in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism in a Real-World Clinical Setting

Background The value of thrombophilia test acquisition in improving risk prediction beyond clinical presentation remains unknown. We investigated the effect of thrombophilia test acquisition on venous thromboembolism (VTE) outcomes. Methods and Results We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients over a 15-year period (September 2001 and May 2016) with first diagnosis of VTE in a single academic medical center. Participants were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and medication history. Participants with thrombophilia testing were matched to control participants without thrombophilia testing using a propensity model. Primary outcomes included recurrent VTE, anticoagulant use 12 months after the index VTE event, bleeding-related hospitalization, and death. From 3590 unique patients who met the inclusion criteria, 747 participants with VTE who underwent thrombophilia testing were matched to a control participant without testing. Tested participants were more likely to have a recurrent event (46.1% versus 28.5%; P<0.001) and an anticoagulant prescription 12 months from the index event (53.9% versus 37.1%; P<0.001) but had no significant difference in bleeding-related hospitalization (11.4% versus 11.8%; P=0.81) compared with untested participants. An abnormal thrombophilia test result, per se, did not predict recurrent VTE (47.8% versus 44.1%; P=0.13), longer duration anticoagulation (53.2% versus 54.8%; P=0.51), bleeding (11.5% versus 11.3%; P=0.70), or mortality (12.2% versus 16.1%; P=0.18) compared with participants who had normal test results. Conclusions The decision to perform thrombophilia testing, but not the test result, is associated with a high risk of recurrent VTE despite a greater likelihood of long-duration anticoagulation.

Venous Thromboembolism: Role of the Clinical Laboratory in Diagnosis and Management

Background

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular illness and is projected to double in incidence by 2050. It is a spectrum of disease that includes deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). In February 2016, the American College of Chest Physicians provided updated management guidelines for DVT and PE to address some of the unresolved questions from the previous version and to provide recommendations related to newer anticoagulants.

Content

Here we review current concepts for screening, diagnosis, thromboprophylaxis, and management of DVT and PE. We also describe the management of VTE in acute, long-term, and extended phases of treatment. Thrombophilia testing is rarely necessary and should be used judiciously; the laboratory can serve an important role in preventing unnecessary testing. The direct oral anticoagulants are as effective as conventional treatment and are preferred agents except in the case of cancer. The initial management of PE should be based on risk stratification including the use of D-dimer testing. Thrombolysis is used in cases of hemodynamically unstable PE and not for low-risk patients who can be treated on an outpatient basis.

Summary

This review is intended to provide readers with updated guidelines for screening, testing, prophylaxis, and management from various organizations.