Fewer hospital visits, fewer logistical problems for patients, family members and simplified management of disease monitoring. The Covid-19 pandemic has required new solutions, which now pave the way for new organizational methods for the benefit of patients and healthcare facilities. Hence the Caring My Life and Patients Matter home collection projects aimed, respectively, at patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and polycythemia vera, two haematological neoplasms that require frequent monitoring, with blood sampling, to verify the progress of the disease. and the effectiveness of therapies.
Thus the sick save time and energy
Patients will thus be able to control the disease comfortably from home, with the possibility of modulating the periodicity of further checks if necessary.Caring My Life is currently active at the S. Eugenio Hospital in Rome, the Consortium Policlinico di Bari Hospital and the Federico II Polyclinic of Naples, while the Patients Matter initiative is active at the Vito Fazi Hospital in Lecce, the Gemelli IRCCS University Polyclinic in Rome and the Careggi Hospital in Florence. based on the indications provided by the hematologist who is treating the patient, the blood sampling is carried out at home by a nurse who then delivers the sample to the reference laboratory. A new management, which allows patients to save time and resources while continuing to be followed by your specialist and to keep the tumor under strict control.
Chronic myeloid leukemia patients not on therapy
The Caring My Life program is dedicated to patients with chronic myeloid leukemia who are not undergoing any therapy, but who must carry out blood tests at close intervals, even monthly, with a significant impact on their daily life in terms of time, organization and logistics. , to which are added the complications related to the pandemic situation. Every year, in Italy, about 1,000 new diagnoses of this tumor are estimated, especially in the over 65s: very often the disease is asymptomatic and, in 80% of cases, identified following follow-up tests for other reasons. chronic myeloid has been revolutionized by the arrival of TKI therapies, which have made it possible to achieve important results in terms of disease control, making it possible in many cases treatment-free remission, with a significant impact on the quality of life of patients, which they can also live long-term without having to undergo any therapy – explains Fabrizio Pane, full professor of Hematology at the Federico II University of Naples and director of Hematology of the same University Hospital -. After the suspension of treatment, patients must undergo frequent checks, with the need for numerous blood samples, which during the health emergency led to difficulties in management. The introduction of a home collection service therefore goes in the direction of simplifying the monitoring of the disease, which, starting from the pandemic emergency, will be able to guide the reorganization of services and management and organizational models in the coming months.
Hematocrit always under control for those suffering from polycythemia
A theme, that of monitoring the disease, which also unites patients with polycythemia vera, a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by excessive production of red blood cells, which leads to an increase in blood viscosity and, consequently, in the hematocrit, a value which requires constant monitoring and attention, through frequent blood tests. In practice, patients have very high hematocrit values and therapies aim to lower them, but if the hematocrit is kept too low or too high there is a risk of serious problems.In recent years, the objectives of the treatment of polycythemia vera have focused on reducing the risk and mortality from cardiovascular causes – explains Valerio De Stefano, full professor of Hematology and director of the Complex Operative Unit Service and Day Hospital of Hematology of the Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital Foundation -. This has been possible thanks to the implementation of studies that have generated guidelines aimed at an appropriate and stringent use of antiplatelet and cytoreductive drugs, in addition to the practice of bloodletting. It is now established that a hematocrit value equal to or less than 0.45 is associated with a significant reduction in vascular events. Frequent blood sampling is therefore necessary to verify the effectiveness of the treatment and check the hematocrit values, with the need for patients to often go to hospital, despite the risks and difficulties associated with the pandemic and a considerable logistical burden. . The home blood count program to which we have joined (the Patients Matter project) responds precisely to the need to lighten this burden for patients, favoring home monitoring of the hematocrit, in constant connection with the reference hematologist.
May 24, 2021 (change May 24, 2021 | 18:52)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED