Conference MDAngle offers personal perspectives from conference attendees, showcasing their anticipation, quick takeaways, and insights into how the presented research will affect their patients.
The 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition was held in San Diego on December 7-10. This year's meeting provided groundbreaking scientific sessions, state-of-the-art clinical insights, and the latest advancements in hematology research and treatment. The conference also featured a dedicated focus on red blood cell disorders, with sessions highlighting the latest advancements in the understanding and treatment of such conditions as anemia, erythropoiesis, sickle cell disease, and thalassemia.
Nadia D. Ali, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University; Director of Clinical Services, Section of Hematology, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“I’m very excited about going to ASH this year. There’s a lot of research as well as clinical trial updates about nonmalignant hematology that I’m particularly interested in, [and] ASH has a lot of oral sessions specifically on red blood cells and erythropoiesis.”
Preconference Considerations
ASH 2024: New Developments in Red Blood Cell Disorders
Dr Ali is excited about attending the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, with a focus on red blood cell disorders — including updates on gene therapy for hemoglobinopathies like sickle cell disease and thalassemia — and is particularly interested in a session on etavopivat, a drug showing promise for improving oxygen saturation in hypoxic conditions, which could have broader applications for anemia. Dr Ali is also expecting intriguing news on the use of AI in hematology to enhance data-driven insights and improve patient outcomes.
Quick Clinical Takeaways
ASH 2024: Key Insights Into Red Blood Cell Disorders
Dr Ali highlights impactful sessions at ASH 2024, particularly a study on high-dose vs low-dose intravenous iron in pregnancy showing that high-dose iron is more efficient and has better adherence, prompting her advocacy for its clinical use. She also valued insights from the Presidential Symposium; this presentation explored erythropoiesis and novel therapies such as pyruvate kinase activators (eg, etavopivat), which could enhance treatments for red blood cell disorders. In addition, she also appreciated discussions on artificial intelligence in biomedical research for its data analysis potential and the ethical considerations for responsible use.
How Will My Patients Benefit?
ASH 2024: Improving Care in Red Blood Cell Disorders
Dr Ali shares insights from the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting that have influenced her practice, particularly in managing anemia in pregnancy and sickle cell disease. On the basis of data comparing high-dose and low-dose intravenous (IV) iron, Dr Ali describes how she now will recommend IV iron for her third-trimester patients with low iron levels, emphasizing its importance in optimizing maternal health before delivery. She also highlights long-term data on stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease showing improved quality of life, leading her to refer more patients for evaluation. These findings demonstrate the real-world impact of emerging research on patient care.
Polling Question
Summary
The 2024 ASH Annual Meeting showcased advancements in red blood cell disorders, including anemia, sickle cell disease, and thalassemia, with a focus on innovative treatments and emerging technologies. Highlights included the efficacy of high-dose IV iron in pregnancy, supporting its adoption in clinical practice, and promising data on a pyruvate kinase activator for improving red blood cell function. Long-term data on stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease emphasized their role in enhancing quality of life, while discussions on artificial intelligence explored its potential to revolutionize data analysis and patient care, with a strong emphasis on ethical implementation. Dr Nadia Ali highlighted how these developments are shaping clinical strategies to improve outcomes.
Resources
Medscape © 2024 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Conference MDAngle: ASH 2024 Anemia and Red Blood Cell/Erythropoiesis-Related Disorders - Medscape - Dec 31, 2024.
Comments