The Sickle Cell Podcast is an effort by the Sickle Cell 101, a nonprofit organization. It talks about sickle cell, sharing warrior experiences and providing sickle cell related education. To listen to the audio podcast, mouse over the title and click Play.
Talking about all things sickle cell related, sharing warrior experiences and providing sickle cell related education.
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The Sickle Cell Podcast is an effort by the Sickle Cell 101, a nonprofit organization. It talks about sickle cell, sharing warrior experiences and providing sickle cell related education. To listen to the audio podcast, mouse over the title and click Play.Talking about all things sickle cell related, sharing warrior experiences and providing sickle cell related education.
Related story
Eighteen minutes in with no break, Billy Garrett Jr. finally looks gassed, wiping sweat from his brow while visible sweat stains mark the back of his shirt. Fatigue hits, but not hard like a Mike Tyson punch — more like a Floyd Mayweather Jr. jab. The NBA hopeful starts to cut corners during a cone drill, barely lifting his feet, which are adorned with “Chicago” edition Nike Hyperdunk Low sneakers complete with graffiti and “Chi” on the heel.A professional athlete struggling through a workout is nothing to write home about, but special attention has always been paid to Garrett, 23. When he was born in 1994, he was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder that causes normally round and healthy red blood cells to mutate into crescent- or sickle-shaped cells that can either die altogether or stick to one another and disrupt the flow of oxygen throughout the body.
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Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder passed down from parent to child. People with sickle cell disease have abnormal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body.
Normal red blood cells are smooth, round, and flexible. They look like the letter "O." This helps them carry oxygen and move through the vessels easily. The abnormal hemoglobin in sickle cell disease makes the red blood cells stiff and sticky. They form into the shape of a sickle, or the letter "C." These sickle cells tend to clump together and can’t easily move through the blood vessels. The clumps block the flow of healthy, oxygen-carrying blood. This causes pain and damages tissues.
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Lorri Burgess was the Chief Operating Officer at Baton Rouge Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Inc. In the past, she worked as a researcher at Louisiana State Research Services and Legislative Assistant at Senator John Michael Guidry.
Lorri Burgess has been associated with the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation for many years and has dedicated her efforts to raising awareness and funds to support people with SCA in Baton Rouge community.
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Background:Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin, resulting in abnormal red blood cells. These are rigid and may block blood vessels leading to acute painful crises and other complications. Recent research has focused on therapies to rehydrate the sickled cells by reducing the loss of water and ions from them. Little is known about the effectiveness and safety of such drugs. This is an updated version of a previously published review. Objectives:To assess the relative risks and benefits of drugs to rehydrate sickled red blood cells. Search Methods:We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group's Haemoglobinopathies Trials Register. We also searched online trials registries for any ongoing trials (01 July 2018).Last search of the Group's Haemoglobinopathies Trials Register: 08 October 2018. Selection Criteria:Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials of drugs to rehydrate sickled red blood cells compared to placebo or an alternative treatment. Data Collection and Analysis:Both authors independently selected studies for inclusion, assessed study quality and extracted data. Main Results:Of the 51 studies identified, three met the inclusion criteria, including 524 people with sickle cell disease aged between 12 and 65 years of age. One study tested the effectiveness of zinc sulphate as compared to placebo and the remaining two assessed senicapoc versus placebo. No deaths were seen in any of the studies (low-quality evidence). The zinc sulphate study showed a significant reduction in painful crises (in a total of 145 participants) over one and a half years, mean difference -2.83 (95% confidence interval -3.51 to -2.15) (moderate-quality evidence). However, analysis was restricted due to limited statistical data. Changes to red blood cell parameters and blood counts were inconsistent (very low-quality evidence). No serious adverse events were noted in the study. The Phase II dose-finding study of senicapoc (a Gardos channel blocker) compared to placebo showed that the high dose senicapoc showed significant improvement in change in hemoglobin level, the number and proportion of dense red blood cells, red blood cell count and indices and hematocrit value (very low-quality evidence). The results with low-dose senicapoc were similar to the high-dose senicapoc group but of lesser magnitude. There was no difference in the frequency of painful crises between the three groups (low-quality evidence). A subsequent Phase III study of senicapoc was terminated early since there was no difference observed between the treatment and control groups in the primary end point of painful crises. Authors' Conclusions:While the results of zinc for reducing sickle-related crises are encouraging, larger and longer-term multicenter studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this therapy for people with sickle cell disease.While the Phase II and the prematurely terminated phase III studies of senicapoc showed that the drug improved red blood cell survival (depending on dose), this did not lead to fewer painful crises.Given this is no longer an active area of research, this review will no longer be regularly updated.
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