Search

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with increased risk of neurocognitive deficits. However, whether functioning changes following nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains unclear. This study aimed to examine changes in neuropsychological functioning pre- to post-transplant among patients with SCD and compare patients and siblings. Adults with SCD (n = 47; Mage = 31.8 ± 8.9) and their sibling stem cell donors (n = 22; Mage = 30.5± 9.2) enrolled on a nonmyeloablative HCST protocol completed cognitive and patient-reported outcome assessments at baseline and 12 months post-transplant. Path analyses were used to assess associations between pre-transplant variables and sibling/patient group status and post-transplant function. Mean patient cognitive scores were average at both timepoints. Patient processing speed and somatic complaints improved from baseline to follow-up. Baseline performance predicted follow-up performance across cognitive variables; patient/sibling status predicted follow-up performance on some processing speed measures. Results suggest that patients with SCD demonstrate slower processing speed than siblings. Processing speed increased pre- to post-HSCT among patients and siblings, and on some measures patients demonstrated greater improvement. Thus, HSCT may improve processing speed in patients, although further confirmation is needed. Findings provide promising evidence that neurocognitive functioning remains stable without detrimental effects from pre- to 12-months post nonmyeloablative HSCT in individuals with SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk for neuropsychological deficits; however, the neurocognitive functioning of adults with SCD and related comorbidities has not been widely reported in the literature. We examined specific cognitive domains in symptomatic adults with SCD and compared them with their unaffected siblings. We also examined relationships between cognitive scores, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and medical/laboratory values. Thirty patient-sibling pairs (M patient age = 32.5 years, M sibling age = 32.1 years) completed evaluations as part of a medical clinical trial (NCT00061568). All patient and sibling neurocognitive test scores were within normal limits. Patients scored significantly lower (M = 91.0 ± 11.3) than their siblings (M = 100.6 ± 12.3; t = -3.5, p < .01) on the Wechsler Processing Speed Index. They also indicated more problems than siblings on an executive functioning questionnaire, although these differences were nonsignificant after accounting for depressive symptoms. Higher fetal hemoglobin and lower creatinine correlated with better scores on particular cognitive and PRO measures. In summary, our sample of adults with symptomatic SCD demonstrated worse processing speed and experience more executive challenges than their siblings, despite treatment with hydroxyurea. These relative weakness likely relate to disease processes but the specific physiological mechanism is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used commonly in an attempt to reduce the duration of neutropenia and hospitalization in patients undergoing chemotherapy and to obtain hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) for transplantation applications. Despite the relative safety of administration of G-CSF in most individuals, including subjects with sickle cell trait, severe and life-threatening complications have been reported when used in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), including those who were asymptomatic and undiagnosed prior to administration. The administration of G-CSF has now been reported in a total of 11 individuals with SCD. Seven developed severe adverse events, including vaso-occlusive episodes, acute chest syndrome, multi-organ system failure and death. Precautions, including minimizing the peak white blood cell count, dividing or reducing the G-CSF dose and red blood cell transfusions to reduce sickle hemoglobin (HbS) levels, have been employed with no consistent benefit. These reported data indicate that administration of G-CSF in individuals with SCD should be undertaken only in the absence of alternatives and after full disclosure of the risks involved. Unless further data demonstrate safety, routine usage of G-CSF in individuals with SCD should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an analysis on the reconstructed report of the civil rights murder case of Emmett Till in Mississippi. Influence of personality on interpretations; Information on oral history interviews; Comments on the news coverage of the trial.

Studies the intersection of news reporting and oral history when observational stories were used in the press coverage of Hurricane Audrey in 1957. Differences and similarities between oral history and journalism; Newspaper stories included in the research; Newspaper reports regarding the storm; Direct observation stories employed by journalists.