{"title":"Prophylactic red cell transfusions for sickle cell disease pregnancy: increased use of therapy could transform outcomes.","authors":"Sheinei Alan, Deva Sharma, Lydia H Pecker","doi":"10.1097/MOH.0000000000000837","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Pregnancy for people with sickle cell disease (SCD) is high risk with persistently high rates of severe maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Transfusion therapy is the best-studied treatment for SCD in pregnancy; hydroxyurea is not usually used because of teratogenicity concerns. In high-resource settings, red cell transfusions are likely underutilized, while in low-resource settings, they may be altogether unavailable.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>A randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis, two of the strongest forms of clinical research, show transfusion significantly reduces maternal and fetal death, painful crisis, thrombosis, and acute respiratory failure. Downstream benefits of treatment are less well measured and may include improving maternal anemia, reducing opioid exposure, and avoiding hospitalization, which presents risk for additional complications. Alloimmunization is a particular transfusion risk in SCD. However, many strategies can mitigate this risk. Accordingly, the American Society of Hematology classifies chronic transfusion in pregnancy as low risk.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Given the low risk classification, lack of alternative therapies, dismal, stagnant pregnancy outcomes and the potential for profound treatment benefit, wider use of chronic transfusion therapy for SCD pregnancy is likely indicated. This review discusses the benefits and potential risks of prophylactic transfusions for SCD pregnancy. Use of chronic transfusions during pregnancy is indicated to help urgently transform outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":55196,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Hematology","volume":" ","pages":"285-293"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11427169/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Opinion in Hematology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/MOH.0000000000000837","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/8/22 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"HEMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of review: Pregnancy for people with sickle cell disease (SCD) is high risk with persistently high rates of severe maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Transfusion therapy is the best-studied treatment for SCD in pregnancy; hydroxyurea is not usually used because of teratogenicity concerns. In high-resource settings, red cell transfusions are likely underutilized, while in low-resource settings, they may be altogether unavailable.
Recent findings: A randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis, two of the strongest forms of clinical research, show transfusion significantly reduces maternal and fetal death, painful crisis, thrombosis, and acute respiratory failure. Downstream benefits of treatment are less well measured and may include improving maternal anemia, reducing opioid exposure, and avoiding hospitalization, which presents risk for additional complications. Alloimmunization is a particular transfusion risk in SCD. However, many strategies can mitigate this risk. Accordingly, the American Society of Hematology classifies chronic transfusion in pregnancy as low risk.
Summary: Given the low risk classification, lack of alternative therapies, dismal, stagnant pregnancy outcomes and the potential for profound treatment benefit, wider use of chronic transfusion therapy for SCD pregnancy is likely indicated. This review discusses the benefits and potential risks of prophylactic transfusions for SCD pregnancy. Use of chronic transfusions during pregnancy is indicated to help urgently transform outcomes.
期刊介绍:
Current Opinion in Hematology is an easy-to-digest bimonthly journal covering the most interesting and important advances in the field of hematology. Its hand-picked selection of editors ensure the highest quality selection of unbiased review articles on themes from nine key subject areas, including myeloid biology, Vascular biology, hematopoiesis and erythroid system and its diseases.