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Open Comment Period for VTE Guideline

In collaboration with McMaster University , the American Society of Hematology ( ASH ) is developing a clinical practice guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism ( VTE ). The open comment period for the draft recommendations is April 1-15 , 2017 .

VTE is a blood clotting disorder that includes both deep vein thrombosis ( DVT ) and pulmonary embolism ( PE ). Specific topics addressed in the guideline include prevention of VTE in surgical and nonsurgical patients , diagnosis of VTE , treatment of DVT and PE , optimal management of anticoagulation therapy , thrombophilia , heparin-induced thrombocytopenia , VTE in the context of pregnancy , VTE in patients with cancer , and VTE in pediatric populations .

The open comment period is an opportunity for stakeholders to review draft recommendations and submit feedback to the guideline panel . Anyone is welcome to comment on the draft recommendations , including ASH members , non-member physicians and researchers , allied health professionals , representatives of industry and insurance companies , patients , caregivers , and other members of the public . Feedback collected during the open comment period will be compiled and provided to the guideline panel for review .

For more information and to submit comments , please visit hematology . org / Guidelines-Public-Comment .

ASH-CAP Guideline Available Online

ASH collaborated with the College of American Pathologists ( CAP ) to develop an evidence-based guideline for the initial work-up of acute leukemia . The guideline was published in an early online edition of the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ( archivesofpathology . org ).

The guideline defines the recommended clinical information and laboratory testing needed for proper diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia , acute lymphocytic leukemia , and mixed-phenotype acute leukemia . Daniel A . Arber , MD , from the University of Chicago School of Medicine , and James W . Vardiman , MD , from the University of Chicago School of Medicine , served as co-chairs of the guideline panel , which sought to answer the following questions :

• What clinical and laboratory information should be available ?

• What samples and specimen types should be evaluated ?

• What tests are required for all patients during the initial evaluation ?

• What tests are required for only a subset of patients ?

• Where should laboratory testing be performed ?

• How should the results be reported ?

Most notably , the guideline underscores the essential steps for coordinating and communicating across clinical teams – particularly among treating physicians and pathologists – in order to ensure optimal patient outcomes and avoid duplicative testing . By identifying the best timing and setting for recommended tests , the guideline also provides structured , baseline recommendations to manage molecular testing .

In addition to the full guideline , the recommendations will be available in a printed pocket guide and digitally in the ASH Pocket Guides mobile app .

In March , the ASH Guideline Panel on Treatment of VTE met at ASH headquarters in Washington , DC , to form recommendations , supported by researchers from the McMaster University GRADE Center . Back row ( L to R ): Thomas Ortel , MD , PhD ; Daniel Witt , PharmD ; Adam Cuker , MD , MS ; Peter Verhamme , MD ; Walter Ageno , MD ; Ivan Florez Middle row ( L to R ): Nathan Clark , PharmD ; Yuqing ( Madison ) Zhang ; Suresh

Vedantham , MD ; Sam Schulman , MD ; Ignacio Neumann , MD ; Ariel Izcovich Seated ( L to R ): Robby Nieuwlatt ; Barbara Hutten , MSc , PhD ; Rebecca Beyth , MD ; Veena Manja , MD , MSc ; Caitlin Thurston , MS . Michael Jaff , DO , was in attendance , but is not pictured here .

ASH Announces 2017 TRTH Program Participants

ASH and the European Hematology Association ( EHA ) announced the names of 20 early-career hematologists who will participate in the joint 2017 Translational Research Training in Hematology ( TRTH ) program . TRTH is a rigorous year-long training and mentoring experience that helps junior scientists build successful careers in translational hematologic research .

This year ’ s TRTH program began with a week-long course March 11-17 in Italy , designed to give participants a more profound understanding of translational research methodology and career development . The course included didactic and interactive sessions and one-on-one faculty mentoring that focused on refining participants ’ research proposals . TRTH participants will convene again June 22-25 at the 2017 EHA Annual Congress in Madrid , where they will attend small-group mentoring sessions . Finally , participants will present the status of their projects at the conclusion of the program at the 2017 ASH Annual Meeting in Atlanta , December 9-12 .

Visit hematology . org / Newsroom / Press-Releases / 2017 / 7171 . aspx for the full list of 2017 ASH / EHA participants .

Apply for the ASH Bridge Grant Program ASH is accepting applications for the Bridge Grant Program through May 1 , 2017 . The program was created to bridge the gap for ASH members who have applied for an NIH R01 grant or equivalent but were denied funding because of budget cutbacks . Recipients receive a total of $ 150,000 to support their hematologic research over the course of a year . For more information , please visit hematology . org / Awards / Career-Training / 407 . aspx .

Submit Your ASH Scholar Award Letter of Intent For more than 30 years , ASH Scholar Awards have provided financial support to help ease the transition from completion of training to achievement of status as an independent investigator for individuals pursuing careers in hematology research . Interested applicants must submit a letter of intent by May 1 , 2017 , to be eligible to submit a full proposal . For more information , please visit hematology . org / Awards / Career-Training / 6657 . aspx . ●

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