Approximately 100,000 Americans are affected

Occurs in 1 out of every 365 Black or African-American births

Occurs in 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births

HbSS is the most severe form of sickle cell disease, called sickle cell anemia

Average life-span for males with HbSS is 42 years old

Average life-span for females with HbSS is 48 years old

Pain crises are the most common presentations of the disease

"Historically, we used to wait for problems to happen before children with sickle cell disease were diagnosed."

"It's just striking to me that we're still doing supportive care for pain and acute chest syndrome."

"You don't have to have a sickle gene in order to have a child with sickle cell disease."

"There are so many therapies in the pipeline that will be able to benefit individuals with sickle cell disease."

"Every organ is involved in complications both short-term and long-term in inividuals with sickle cell disease."

“When I think about sickle cell disease, I can’t help but think about sickle cell in a historic perspective,” said Kim Smith-Whitley, MD,  Executive Vice President-Elect of Global Blood Therapeutics, in the inaugural episode of the Rare Disease Report podcast.

The history of sickle cell disease is the history of healthcare disparity—as it primarily affects individuals of color and historically under-resourced populations.

Even more, the sickle cell story involves the push for increased universal screening, improved therapeutic options, and perhaps more pertinently, the need to develop effective ways to manage pain crises.

To understand sickle cell care in the United States is to appreciate the diagnostic and treatment milestones, while acknowledging the remaining—and urgent—gaps that need to be addressed by healthcare professionals and researchers.

Drawing from her clinical experiences as a pediatric hematologist, Smith-Whitley painted a detailed and comprehensive portrait of the reality of sickle cell care, the toll the disease can take on families, as well as the current and future state of research.

She emphasized the importance of trust between patients, their families, and their care team, which can ultimately prove foundational to improving patient quality of life.

 are proud to present the first installment of a new podcast series that will provide a platform for experts and advocates to share their knowledge, tell their story, and augment the discussion surrounding diseases that have—for too long—fallen beneath the radar.

Podcasts

In this first episode, Kim Smith-Whitley, MD, discusses the history, presentations, and research status of sickle cell disease.

The Rare Disease Report Podcast: Sickle Cell Disease

February is Heart Month, a campaign established by the American Heart Association that aims to raise awareness for 

, a nationwide issue that affects all kinds of populations—even children.

However, with the effects of lockdowns still felt across the United States, in-person clinical visits and cardiological monitoring still may be not as frequent as they used to be prior to the pandemic.

And yet, telehealth and remote monitoring have played an increasing role in the interim.

 pandemic, clinical programs and trials had already taken an interest in usage of such technologies, which can allow care teams to collect pertinent cardiological information outside the clinical setting.

Remote monitoring devices can prove to be beneficial for numerous reasons—yet there are obious drawbacks, namely the inability to fully substitute physical testings.

On the flipside, they can offer the possibility of enhancing cardiological care and ensuring fewer patients are lost to follow-up.

In this episode of DocTalk, Seda Tierney, MD, and Scott Ceresnak, MD, of Stanford Children's Health discussed the potential of remote monitoring among pediatric populations as well as the role of telehealth in cardiology.

Tierney is the Director of Research in Stanford’s Echo Laboratory. Recently, she worked on a study evaluating parental home use of echocardiogram technology in heart transplant patients.

Ceresnak leads Stanford Children’s Health tele EKG monitoring program, where doctors use such technology to monitor children’s heart conditions from their homes.

They talked about the the current and future state of cardiological care, remote monitoring, as well as their own work and role in their respective programs.

Tierney spoke on her recent study while Ceresnak offered perspective into the tele EKG experience.

In a joint interview, 2 pediatric cardiologists discuss topics related to remote technologies and cardiological monitoring among pediatric populations. 

Remote Cardiological Care in Children with Drs. Seda Tierney and Scott Ceresnak

 The role of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein

 Improving minority representation in research

In honor of Black History Month, and in recognition of a one-year milestone met in the progression of research from SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to the development of 

 vaccines, this month’s episode of Lungcast features an expert able to discuss both the intrinsic science and societal impacts of COVID-19.

Donald Alcendor, PhD, is a well-regarded vaccinologist and immunologist from Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

He is also an experienced public health advocate and community outreach planner, who has delivered critical information on vaccines, therapies, and the pandemic overall to communities of color for the last year.

Alcendor joins American Lung Association (ALA) chief medical officer Al Rizzo, MD, for the February episode of Lungcast to discuss these comprehensive factors of COVID-19 response.

Before that vital conversation, Rizzo introduces a new segment highlighting a significant person or event in respiratory care history. The inaugural segment pays respect to Vivien Thomas, LLD, an innovator in cardiac surgery, a renowned practitioner, and a champion in the face of institutional racism and inequality.

Subscribe or listen to Lungcast on your favorite platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1F3u1hKrwxi9snSQ0q3nti

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lungcast/id1524712350

A conversation with an expert virologist and public health advocate on the scientific and societal machinations of COVID-19 vaccination.

The Discriminate Effect of COVID-19 with Dr. Donald Alcendor

 Introducing diet and exercise specialists


 US healthcare’s hurdles in cardiovascular care


The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recently published 

 which provide clinicians perspective on diagnosing, screening, and managing hypertension and cardiovascular risks in patients with 

The guidelines, which feature collaborative perspective from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), serve as a point of reflection on all the various advances being made in treating comorbid cardiovascular risk among the growing diabetes population.

They also provide context on the comprehensive utility of drug classes such as GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors, which have been increasingly investigated for various health outcomes in cardiometabolic patients for a decade now—and continue to be assessed for more benefits now.

There’s much to address in the single mention of the state of cardiometabolic care. The first DocTalk episode of the year aims to tackle all the facets of the new guidelines, and more.

, George Bakris, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Comprehensive Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, shared perspective on the new ADA guidelines and trials which influenced it, the evolving cardiometabolic care team, and the current issues burdening the field at this moment.

The University of Chicago hypertension expert discusses new ADA recommendations for cardiovascular risk management.

Cardiovascular Guidelines in Diabetics with Dr. George Bakris

New guideline updates from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program delivered a litany of key recommendations for clinicians managing 

, a condition has seen steady growth in both new cases and therapeutic options over the last decade.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported guidelines, published in December 2020, entailed 6 major changes to asthma management determined by an expert panel based off a six-year old needs assessment. Overall, the panel provided 19 new recommendations on the subject of management—an indication of how far the field has grown in so few years.

This very first 2021 episode of Lungcast, hosted by 

and the American Lung Association (ALA), features a discussion between ALA chief medical officer Al Rizzo, MD, and guideline coauthor Anne Dixon, MD.

Dixon, a pulmonologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and Medical Director of the Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Departments at The Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, is a prolific investigator into the associations of obesity and metabolism in lung disease.

Between her longtime research into asthma phenotypes, their association with obesity and metabolism, and her significant role in clinical management advisory, Dixon is a vital source in the changing field of asthma care.

A discussion around obesity's effect on asthma, and the newest recommendations for managed care.

New Asthma Management Guidelines Primer with Dr. Anne Dixon

How should a dermatologist treat itch? The answer certainly is not a straightforward one.

One thing is for sure. The underlying causes behind itch—or pruritis—are numerous. A dermatological condition like 

 can produce symptoms that may lead to irritation. Stress or anxiety may be the culprit. Or perhaps it could be a nerve disorder. Sometimes the cause may not be so obvious.

Identifying the cause is essential to prescribing the proper treatment. However, the appropriate therapy may not always be successful, and that can be a source of frustration for both dermatologist and patient.

After all, severe itch may significantly impact quality of life, especially if the sensation becomes debilitating.

In this episode of Derm Discussions, Peter Lio, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology & Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, spoke with Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, about the various causes leading to itch. He offered some insight into treatment options for patients suffering from such a challenging-to-treat sensation or symptom.

Lio also discussed some of the typical therapies that may be used to address acute and chronic itch, but he also touched on the potential of some alternative therapeutic options—such as acupuncture, cannabinoids, and hypnosis.

In this episode of Derm Discussions, Peter Lio, MD, discusses the difficulties treating itch as well as alternative—and perhaps surprising—therapeutic options. 

Peter Lio, MD: New and Emerging Therapies for the Management of Itch 

American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting

 this week showed the long-term benefit of voxelotor (Oxbryta) for the treatment of vaso-occlusive incidences over 72 weeks in patients with sickle cell disease.

The phase 3 HOPE Study builds upon a set foundation for the Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) once-daily oral therapy originally approved for the treatment of sickle cell disease in 2019, establishing a long-term portfolio in real-world patients for a litany of disease factors.

Patients administered 1500 mg voxelotor reported sustained improvements to their hemoglobin levels and hemolysis metrics over the observed period, supporting the use of the agent for overall sickle anemia and hemolysis reduction. The findings even indicate the potential for reduced morbidity and mortality of sickle cell disease via the deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin polymerization inhibitor.

 spoke with HOPE Study presenter Elliott Vichinski, MD, Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the University of California-San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital.

Vichinsky discussed the newest HOPE findings, the clinical history of sickle cell disease, and what may come next for the burgeoning portfolio of voxelotor.

Subscribe or listen to DocTalk on your favorite platforms:

https://open.spotify.com/show/68N5jghh5oJBf3lvWqxJT8?si=ebt8D8FdTDC-IQ2jli2mwQ

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doctalk-podcast/id1479564890

The UCSF hematologist discusses the growing portfolio for the sickle cell therapy after ASH 2020.

Elliott Vichinsky, MD: Voxelotor and New HOPE Data for Sickle Cell

In a year that’s seen clinical research and discussion overwhelmingly pull toward the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s hard to put back into perspective the importance of other issues in respiratory medicine.

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

 remains among the deadliest chronic diseases in the US—a condition which for years has been unmet by disease-modifying therapy or any preceding breakthroughs thereof.

But there have been wins—in this, the year of COVID-19, even—to account in the fight to mitigate COPD burden.

In this year’s final episode of Lungcast, host Al Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, speaks with MeiLan Han, MD, professor of internal medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, director of the Michigan Airways Program, and ALA Scientific Advisory Committee member, on everything COPD.

From her own start in chronic respiratory disease research, to chronic tomography (CT) scan utility in disease phenotyping, to some of the agents that may prove to be the breakthrough class of COPD treatment, Han details decades of work which has reached this fascinating inflection point in COPD care.

The last episode of 2020 caps advances and ongoing research into the most burdensome chronic respiratory disease in the US.

COPD Check-In with Dr. MeiLan Han

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2020 Conference begins this weekend. Ophthalmologists from all over the world will connect digitally to present research, exchange ideas, and share experiences. The agenda boasts robust offerings of scientific posters, live sessions, symposiums, and lectures. Topics ranging from glaucoma, to age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and even emerging AIs, among others, will be covered.

The packed agenda only proves that ophthalmologists are eager to engage with their peers and immerse themselves in the buzz around their specialty. This weekend, 

® will be covering the latest news coming out of AAO — coverage will feature late-breaking research as well as interviews with presenting doctors. 

To help kick off the busy weekend, Edmund Tsui, MD, a uveitis specialist at UCLA and social media editor for the AAO Journal, joined 

 for a discussion about what to expect in AAO 2020 as well as the significance of the virtual platform. He talked about a few of the studies that have caught his interest and how he plans to engage with the on-demand and live content. 

Edmund Tsui, MD, talks the new AAO 2020 virtual format as well as presentations that have particularly caught his attention.

Edmund Tsui, MD: A Discussion on AAO 2020 Virtual

 certainly does not fall short in its breadth and depth of topics.

It goes without saying that many of the conditions faced by adults can impact children just the same. A pediatric dermatologist may have to deal with conditions like atopic dermatitis, molluscum and warts, tinea capitis, psoriasis, and hemangiomas, among others.

Of course, each issue presents its own set of challenges and may require unique approaches to treatment and management.

 host Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, talked with Lisa Swanson, MD, a board-certified pediatric dermatologist, about a variety of dermatological conditions that are common—and not-so-common—in pediatric patients.

Drawing directly from her clinical experience, Swanson provided insight into treatment strategies for a range of conditions—such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. She also talked about new and exciting therapies within the field of dermatology, many of which have indications extended to young patients.

“Getting the approval down to 4 or 6 or wherever it might be not only makes it easier for pediatric dermatologists to treat these kids, but I think it gives everybody a better comfort level with the medicines,” she said.

Swanson covered vast terrain in discussing the promising future of pediatric dermatology and the challenges that still remain.

Lisa Swanson, MD, and Brad Glick, DO, FAAD, discuss a wide range of dermatological conditions faced by pediatric patients—from acne to atopic dermatitis, and everything in between.