Patient and Physician Perspectives in the Management of Immune Thrombocytopenia in Iran: Responses from the ITP World Impact Survey (I-WISh).

Data describing physicians' and patients' perspectives towards immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) management and impact of disease in Iran are limited. This ITP World Impact Survey was conducted between October 2019 and October 2020. Of the 114 patients included in the survey, 17 were aged ≤18 years. Forty-seven physicians, including 22 pediatric hematologists, participated in the survey. Fatigue and anxiety around stable platelet counts were frequent patient-reported symptoms at diagnosis and at survey completion. According to physicians, "watch-and-wait" was the preferred treatment option for mean (standard deviation) proportion of 50.1 (24.1) and 48.6 (21.8) of their adult and pediatric patients, respectively, following first diagnosis. Per adult and pediatric hematologists, the most prescribed treatments for newly diagnosed patients based on available answers were steroids (100%, n = 20/20; 89%, n = 16/18), respectively. Forty percent of adult (n = 10/25) and 38% of pediatric hematologists (n = 8/21) reported that ITP reduced patients' quality of life. Energy levels (46%, n = 52/112) and ability to concentrate on everyday activities (42%, n = 47/113) were the most affected aspects of patients' lives. This I-WISh study in Iran underlined the negative impact of ITP on patients.

Premedication With Midazolam or Haloperidol to Prevent Recovery Agitation in Adults Undergoing Procedural Sedation With Ketamine: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We evaluate the effect of midazolam and haloperidol premedication for reducing ketamine-induced recovery agitation in adult patients undergoing procedural sedation. We also compare physician satisfaction and recovery time. METHODS: We randomized emergency department patients older than 18 years who needed procedural sedation to receive 1 of the following 3 interventions in double-blind fashion 5 minutes before receiving intravenous ketamine at 1 mg/kg: intravenous distilled water, intravenous midazolam at 0.05 mg/kg, or intravenous haloperidol at 5 mg. Our main study outcomes were recovery agitation as assessed by the maximum observed Pittsburgh Agitation Scale score and by the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale score at 5, 15, and 30 minutes after ketamine administration. Our secondary outcomes were clinician satisfaction and recovery duration. RESULTS: We enrolled 185 subjects. The maximum Pittsburgh Agitation Scale score was significantly less with midazolam compared with placebo (difference 3; 95% confidence interval 1.27 to 4.72) and with haloperidol compared with placebo (difference 3; 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 4.75), and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale scores at 5, 15, and 30 minutes trended lower with the active agents. Midazolam and haloperidol significantly delayed recovery but did not alter overall clinician satisfaction. CONCLUSION: For adult procedural sedation, premedication with either midazolam 0.05 mg/kg or haloperidol 5 mg intravenously significantly reduces ketamine-induced recovery agitation while delaying recovery.