A modified conditioning protocol for allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation that does not ablate the bone marrow was used to treat 10 adults who had severe sickle cell disease. The sickle cell phenotype was eliminated in 9 of the 10 recipients. No deaths, no major adverse events, and no graft-versus-host disease occurred among the recipients.

In this clinical trial, the intravenous platelet inhibitor cangrelor was compared with oral clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes who were undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Cangrelor provided no benefit, as compared with clopidogrel, and was associated with more bleeding. This trial does not suggest a clinical advantage of cangrelor.

Cangrelor is an intravenous ADP-receptor blocker that interferes with platelet function. With a primary end point of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization, cangrelor was not superior to placebo in patients undergoing PCI. However, there were fewer stent thromboses and deaths in the cangrelor group, leading the authors to suggest that cangrelor deserves further study.

In this comparative-effectiveness trial, the oral direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran was shown to be as effective as warfarin in the prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism. Bleeding complications were similar. Dabigatran therapy offers the advantage that monitoring of anticoagulation is not necessary.