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AGA Institute Appoints New Editor of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Gastroenterology and Hepatology News continued
University Hospital in Los Angeles. The investigators evaluated the impact of the initiation of a transfusion-free program for Jehovah’s Witnesses undergoing liver transplantation on the overall use of blood products in non-Jehovah’s Witnesses undergoing the procedure. Pediatric and Jehovah’s Witness transplant recipients were eliminated from the study, leaving only adult non-Jehovah’s Witness patients who either received a liver transplant from a deceased donor or a living donor (n ⫽ 272). These patients were categorized into 2 groups based on the initiation of the Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery Program at USC (for Jehovah’s Witnesses) in January 2000. Group 1 consisted of recipients who received the liver transplant before January 2000 and group 2 included all patients who underwent transplantation after January 2000. “Recipients in group 1 underwent orthotopic liver transplants without intraoperative blood-saving or salvaging tech-
niques, whereas all transplant recipients in group 2 underwent intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) and acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) whenever feasible,” the authors report. ANH indicates a therapeutic initiative that involves simultaneously removing the patient’s blood and replacing it with nonblood products. “In comparing group 2 with group 1, the mean (average) model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was statistically significantly higher, whereas the mean number of intraoperative PRBC (packed red blood cells) and FFP (fresh frozen plasma) transfusions were significantly lower,” the authors report. The MELD score describes the survival probability of a patient with end-stage liver disease, with higher scores indicating increased disease severity. The study found no statistical significance in the number of preoperative and postoperative PRBC, FFP, and platelet transfusions between the 2 groups.
AGA Institute Appoints New Editor of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
T
he AGA Institute’s Governing Board recently appointed Charles Melbern Wilcox, MD to the editorship of the association’s clinical journal, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH). Dr. Wilcox’s term will begin July 1, 2007, and will last 5 years. The current editor, Michael Camilleri, MD, his board of editors, and the editorial office staff will start the transition process this fall. Dr. Wilcox states, “I am excited [to accept this position] and plan to build upon the outstanding foundation of the initial editorial team.” In addition to publishing original material for clinicians and clinical investigators, Dr. Wilcox and his team plan to implement a new special section devoted to endoscopy. Dr. Wilcox also emphasizes that he and his editors intend to maintain balance by publishing material that spans the field of digestive diseases. Stylistically, he and the board of editors plan to enhance the overall look of CGH by using color throughout the content and by publishing an eye-catching image on each issue’s cover. 1372
Charles Melbern Wilcox, MD
Dr. Wilcox is joined by an outstanding board of editors. His associate editor team will include Michael Fallon, MD, Charles Elson, MD, Mohamad Eloubeidi, MD, MHS, and Miguel Arguedas, MD. These individuals’ breadth of expertise will ensure that CGH continues to provide timely and high-quality, peer-reviewed manuscripts, while developing
“The development of a transfusionfree surgical program for Jehovah’s Witness patients has had a positive impact on reducing the overall blood use in nonJehovah’s Witness patients,” the authors note. They state that autotransfusion decreases some of the complications of transfusions, such as transmission of unknown pathogens, and also helps to preserve blood bank resources, which consequently reduces the overall procedure cost. “Surgeons are the leading consumers of blood products, and it is important that we are leaders in promoting transfusion-free techniques. In conclusion, we propose that the recognized need to minimize the use of blood products be elevated to the same level as antibiotic and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis (prevention).” For further details see “Impact of Transfusion-Free Program on Non-Jehovah’s Witness Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation,” Archives of Surgery 2006;141:913–917.
new ways to keep the AGA membership current on emerging topics in clinical gastroenterology. Dr. Wilcox received his medical training from the Medical College of Georgia. Following his graduation, he entered and completed his internship and residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Wilcox also completed his chief residency in internal medicine at UAB before entering a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He spent 2 years at UCSF, followed by an additional year of clinical research training at the San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Wilcox then accepted a position as Chief of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He remained in this position for 5 years until recruited by UAB as the Director of Clinical Research and Chief of Endoscopy. Currently he is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. “I am fortunate to have outstanding colleagues here at UAB who can make important contributions to CGH so that it can continue its rise in recognition and stature.” Stories by Les Lang
University Hospital in Los Angeles. The investigators evaluated the impact of the initiation of a transfusion-free program for Jehovah’s Witnesses undergoing liver transplantation on the overall use of blood products in non-Jehovah’s Witnesses undergoing the procedure. Pediatric and Jehovah’s Witness transplant recipients were eliminated from the study, leaving only adult non-Jehovah’s Witness patients who either received a liver transplant from a deceased donor or a living donor (n ⫽ 272). These patients were categorized into 2 groups based on the initiation of the Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery Program at USC (for Jehovah’s Witnesses) in January 2000. Group 1 consisted of recipients who received the liver transplant before January 2000 and group 2 included all patients who underwent transplantation after January 2000. “Recipients in group 1 underwent orthotopic liver transplants without intraoperative blood-saving or salvaging tech-
niques, whereas all transplant recipients in group 2 underwent intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) and acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) whenever feasible,” the authors report. ANH indicates a therapeutic initiative that involves simultaneously removing the patient’s blood and replacing it with nonblood products. “In comparing group 2 with group 1, the mean (average) model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was statistically significantly higher, whereas the mean number of intraoperative PRBC (packed red blood cells) and FFP (fresh frozen plasma) transfusions were significantly lower,” the authors report. The MELD score describes the survival probability of a patient with end-stage liver disease, with higher scores indicating increased disease severity. The study found no statistical significance in the number of preoperative and postoperative PRBC, FFP, and platelet transfusions between the 2 groups.
AGA Institute Appoints New Editor of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
T
he AGA Institute’s Governing Board recently appointed Charles Melbern Wilcox, MD to the editorship of the association’s clinical journal, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CGH). Dr. Wilcox’s term will begin July 1, 2007, and will last 5 years. The current editor, Michael Camilleri, MD, his board of editors, and the editorial office staff will start the transition process this fall. Dr. Wilcox states, “I am excited [to accept this position] and plan to build upon the outstanding foundation of the initial editorial team.” In addition to publishing original material for clinicians and clinical investigators, Dr. Wilcox and his team plan to implement a new special section devoted to endoscopy. Dr. Wilcox also emphasizes that he and his editors intend to maintain balance by publishing material that spans the field of digestive diseases. Stylistically, he and the board of editors plan to enhance the overall look of CGH by using color throughout the content and by publishing an eye-catching image on each issue’s cover. 1372
Charles Melbern Wilcox, MD
Dr. Wilcox is joined by an outstanding board of editors. His associate editor team will include Michael Fallon, MD, Charles Elson, MD, Mohamad Eloubeidi, MD, MHS, and Miguel Arguedas, MD. These individuals’ breadth of expertise will ensure that CGH continues to provide timely and high-quality, peer-reviewed manuscripts, while developing
“The development of a transfusionfree surgical program for Jehovah’s Witness patients has had a positive impact on reducing the overall blood use in nonJehovah’s Witness patients,” the authors note. They state that autotransfusion decreases some of the complications of transfusions, such as transmission of unknown pathogens, and also helps to preserve blood bank resources, which consequently reduces the overall procedure cost. “Surgeons are the leading consumers of blood products, and it is important that we are leaders in promoting transfusion-free techniques. In conclusion, we propose that the recognized need to minimize the use of blood products be elevated to the same level as antibiotic and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis (prevention).” For further details see “Impact of Transfusion-Free Program on Non-Jehovah’s Witness Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation,” Archives of Surgery 2006;141:913–917.
new ways to keep the AGA membership current on emerging topics in clinical gastroenterology. Dr. Wilcox received his medical training from the Medical College of Georgia. Following his graduation, he entered and completed his internship and residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Wilcox also completed his chief residency in internal medicine at UAB before entering a gastroenterology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He spent 2 years at UCSF, followed by an additional year of clinical research training at the San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Wilcox then accepted a position as Chief of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He remained in this position for 5 years until recruited by UAB as the Director of Clinical Research and Chief of Endoscopy. Currently he is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. “I am fortunate to have outstanding colleagues here at UAB who can make important contributions to CGH so that it can continue its rise in recognition and stature.” Stories by Les Lang