Godby, Richard

PURPOSE Hematology care delivery is changing rapidly for patients, care teams, and health care institutions. This study simultaneously evaluated utilization data for synchronous/real-time patient appointments, asynchronous/time-delayed patient communications, and provider preferences in a large academic hematology practice to inform sustainable care delivery and workflows in the digital era. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of aggregated adult hematology appointment and patient communication data at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) from January 2023 to January 2025. Data were stratified by appointment modality, patient characteristics, and electronic health record (EHR) message volumes. Additionally, a voluntary, anonymous survey assessed hematology provider preferences regarding appointment modalities, in-basket burdens, and billing practices. RESULTS Among 83,713 completed appointments, 80.8% were in-person, 12.9% video, and 6.4% telephone. Patients age 80 years and older and rural cohorts used virtual modalities at rates comparable with younger and metropolitan cohorts. Asynchronous communication volume was considerable, with 155,036 patient-initiated telephone calls generating a digital cascade of 407,578 EHR messages (a 1:2.6 ratio) and 49,798 patient-initiated advice request in-basket messages generating 343,030 additional EHR messages (a 1:6.9 ratio). Providers (n = 53) strongly preferred in-person appointments for new consults (92.5%) and active therapy management (90.6%) but favored virtual appointments for surveillance (52.8%). Although 86.8% of providers reported spending >30 minutes daily on in-basket management, 94.3% reported not billing for this time. CONCLUSION Telehealth is a substantial component of modern hematology practice, used across all age groups. However, digital cascading and proliferation of asynchronous communications present an invisible and uncaptured workload. Optimizing care delivery could include implementation of a stratified hybrid model, prioritizing in-person appointments for high-acuity needs and virtual appointments for low-acuity needs, alongside standardized workflows to mitigate burdens of the digital era.

ABSTRACT Angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma (AITL) is an aggressive peripheral T‐cell lymphoma with poor outcomes, and the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as consolidation after frontline therapy remains controversial. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Cancer Database, including adults diagnosed with AITL between 2004 and 2020 who received frontline systemic therapy. Patients were categorized as chemotherapy alone (Chemo) or chemotherapy followed by ASCT (Chemo + ASCT). To mitigate immortal time bias, prespecified landmark analyses were performed, with a 6‐month landmark analysis as the primary approach and a 9‐month landmark analysis as a sensitivity analysis. Multivariable Cox regression and propensity score weighting using inverse probability of treatment weighting for the average treatment effect were used to address measured confounding. Among 3996 patients receiving systemic therapy, 686 (17.2%) underwent ASCT. In the 6‐month landmark analysis, ASCT was associated with improved overall survival (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.45–0.62; p < 0.001). Findings were consistent in the 9‐month landmark analysis (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49–0.69; p < 0.001) and IPTW‐adjusted model (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.44–0.60; p < 0.001). In this large real‐world cohort, ASCT consolidation was consistently associated with improved survival in patients with AITL. Although treatment‐response data were unavailable and residual confounding cannot be excluded, these findings provide supportive real‐world evidence and warrant prospective studies with treatment‐timing and response data to better define patient selection.

ABSTRACT Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired autoimmune disorder characterized by antibody‐mediated platelet destruction, often driven by long‐lived plasma cells (LLPCs) resistant to conventional therapies. While most patients respond to corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a subset develops life‐threatening refractory disease. In this case series, we describe three patients aged 39, 85, and 58 with life‐threatening, multi‐agent refractory ITP and platelet nadirs < 2 × 10 9 /L who failed corticosteroids, IVIG, and thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO‐RAs). Following salvage therapy with daratumumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting CD38, all three patients achieved rapid hematologic recovery, with platelet count normalization within 1 week. This accelerated response allowed for urgent clinical stabilization, including safe anticoagulation and surgical intervention. The efficacy of daratumumab likely stems from a dual mechanism: the depletion of CD38+ LLPCs and the immediate modulation of Fc‐receptor‐mediated platelet clearance. These observations suggest that CD38‐targeted therapy can bypass traditional treatment resistance to achieve near‐immediate remission in high‐complexity, high‐risk clinical settings. While these results are compelling, prospective clinical trials are warranted to define the long‐term safety, durability, and optimal dosing of anti‐CD38 therapies in refractory ITP populations.

Abstract Systems-based hematology (SBH) is an emerging discipline focused on optimizing care delivery for patients with hematologic disorders within complex health care systems. Despite its growing importance, the field lacks a formal definition, standardized curriculum, and clear career pathway, hindering widespread adoption and training of future SBH experts. We sought to define core principles, competencies, challenges, and future directions of SBH to identify foundational components for a potential educational curriculum. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 SBH experts. Expert participants were identified through their committee involvement with the American Society of Hematology. Five overarching themes emerged: (1) The accidental expert: SBH careers have developed organically and reactively in response to pressing institutional needs, not through formal training; (2) Defining the unseen: experts define the field pragmatically by its function and roles; (3) The SBH toolkit: success requires a hybrid skillset combining clinical hematology expertise with health systems science (HSS) principles; (4) The architect's dilemma: the field's growth is hindered by interdependent challenges of building a curriculum, awareness, and securing resources; and (5) Charting the future: the discipline is poised for growth, driven by increasing health care complexity and specialization. SBH represents the nexus of HSS principles and hematology care. Formalizing SBH requires a multipronged approach, including developing a standardized curriculum that equips learners with a hybrid skillset, creating clear value for health systems and patients, and fostering a community of practice through professional societies. These findings provide a foundational framework for developing educational resources and institutional support necessary to continue advancing SBH.

Abstract Background: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a condition in which the immune system erroneously attacks and damages red blood cells. While the epidemiology of AIHA has been examined in various European and Asian nations (Hansen 2020; Kao 2025), there is limited data available from the United States (US). Using US insurance claims data, this research aimed to determine the prevalence and demographic characteristics of AIHA over a five-year span. Methods: Five databases were used: Merative MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters; Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database; Closed and Open claims sourced through HealthVerity; Merative MarketScan Medicare Supplemental Database; Merative MarketScan Multi-State Medicaid. AIHA was defined by ICD-10 diagnosis codes D59.1x in a given calendar year and a second code within 365 days prior. Annual prevalence in years 2019 – 2023 was calculated among people with insurance enrollment for at least 6 months in the calendar year. Annual prevalence was stratified by age group, sex, and prescription fill for an AIHA-related treatment (systemic steroids, immunosuppressants [azathioprine, mycophenolate, cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide, danazol, bortezomib, rituximab], splenectomy) in the calendar year. Extrapolation of prevalence rates for commercial and government assistance insurance to the US population for 2023 was implemented by age and sex-standardization to the US Census population. For data sources that included both commercial and government assistance insurance, patients aged &lt;65 years were analyzed as commercial insurance and aged ≥65 years as government assistance. Results: AIHA prevalence in 2023 across databases ranged from 2.7 to 4.3 per 100,000 for ages &lt;18 years; 4.2 to 9.4 per 100,000 for ages 18 – 34 years; 8.2 to 11.8 per 100,000 for ages 35 – 49 years; 15.4 to 23.9 per 100,000 for ages 50 – 64 years; 26.6 to 37.0 per 100,000 for ages 65 – 74 years; and 30.6 to 61.2 per 100,000 for age 75 years and older. Across databases and over time, the proportion of AIHA patients that were female was 55% – 67%. Across all databases, in year 2023, half (44% - 55%) of patients received any AIHA-related treatment, out of which one third (26%-34%) received systemic steroids, less than one quarter (9% – 17%) received rituximab, and one third (25% – 31%) received a different immunosuppressant. Compared to patients with commercial insurance, Medicaid-insured patients had lower AIHA-related treatment utilization, whereas Medicare-insured patients had higher utilization. Within age group and sex and by insurance type, low and high estimates of prevalence were used to define a range of prevalence. After standardization to the 2023 US Census population, the estimated prevalence in 2023 ranged from 38,459 to 57,235 patients diagnosed with AIHA, corresponding to prevalence rates of 11.6 to 17.3 per 100,000. This marked an increase from 2019 US Census-standardized estimates of 32,777 to 48,482, with corresponding prevalence rates of 10.1 to 14.9 per 100,000. Discussion: AIHA prevalence was higher in older age groups, with a peak prevalence in ages 65 and older. Prevalence increased approximately 15% over a 5-year interval and was notably higher in patients with commercial health insurance compared to government insurance programs, which may in part be due to the older age of the Medicare population. Fewer than half of patients received an AIHA-related treatment in 2023, which could reflect heterogeneity in disease severity necessitating treatment, in addition to the relapse-remitting nature of AIHA whereby patients experience remission for periods of time. Additionally, insurance claims do not specify an indication for treatment nor a reason for discontinuation; some treatments could have been prescribed for an underlying condition contributing to AIHA. Finally, prevalence extrapolation assumes Americans without health insurance are diagnosed with AIHA at the same rate as those with insurance, which may slightly overestimate the total number of diagnosed patients.Conclusion: AIHA prevalence in this study was consistent with estimates from European countries and has been increasing in recent years, providing evidence of consistent disease epidemiology across several geographies.

Abstract Introduction: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare blood disorder associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. It is generally categorized into four subtypes: smoldering, chronic, lymphoma, and acute. Given the heterogeneity of these subtypes, there is a significant difference in outcomes. Robust and contemporary epidemiological data are lacking for this rare disorder. We present a retrospective cohort study of patients with ATLL, utilizing the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to better characterize the epidemiology and survival trends in the United States. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the NCDB to identify ATLL cases diagnosed from 2004-2020. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline characteristics, while chi-square tests assessed group differences. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and compared using log-rank tests. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models identified independent prognostic factors (p &lt; 0.05 considered significant). Results: A total of 635 patients were identified with ATLL, including 344 (54%) males and 291 (46%) females, with a median age at diagnosis of 59 years (range: 19-90). Most patients came from the Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) region (33%), followed by the South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) region (20%) and the East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) region (8%). Of the 635 patients, 335 (52%) were Black, 247 (39%) White, and 26 (4%) Asian. Sixty-five (10%) patients were of Hispanic origin. Over half of patients with ATLL (54%) had a median income below $46,000. International Prognostic Index (IPI) score was only available for 16 patients: three (19%) patients were in the high-risk group, 7 (43%) in the high-intermediate group, and 6 (37.5%) in the low-intermediate group. Treatment groups included 357 (56%) patients treated with chemotherapy and 29 (4.5%) who received radiation therapy. Thirty-three (5%) patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), including 27 autologous and 16 allogeneic transplants. The median survival time in the cohort was 9 months (95% CI 7.3-10.7). One-year OS rate in the cohort was 43%, while 2-year and 5-year OS rates were 31% and 23.5%, respectively. Patients over the age of 65 had a significantly shorter median OS than those under 65 (4 vs. 11 months, p=0.001) and were significantly less likely to undergo HSCT (p&lt; 0.001). Black patients had significantly shorter median OS compared to White patients (7.8 months vs 13.3 months, p=0.014), despite similar treatment rates with chemotherapy and HSCT. Median OS appeared to improve over time, from 8 months in patients diagnosed between 2004-2009 to 10 months for those diagnosed between 2016-2020, although this was not statistically significant (p=0.145). Treatment with allogeneic HSCT was associated with significantly prolonged median survival, compared to those who did not receive transplant (50 months vs. 7 months, p&lt;0.05). Additionally, receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation compared to not receiving treatment was also associated with significantly prolonged median survival (p&lt;0.05). Patients treated in the Middle Atlantic region had a median survival of 8.8 months, compared to 23.2 months in the West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) region (p&lt; 0.001). Increased education and income levels were not significantly associated with improved survival. There were no significant differences in survival between males and females. Conclusions: We provide contemporary estimates on the epidemiology of ATLL. Factors associated with improved prognosis included undergoing HSCT, radiation, or chemotherapy. We report that increased age and Black race are negative prognostic factors. Regional differences in incidence and survival persist in the US. Our study findings underscore the need for increasing access to treatment, including HSCT for those who are good candidates. Additionally, there remains work to be done to address racial disparities in the care of patients with ATLL.

Abstract Introduction: The Duffy null variant (genotype or phenotype) is associated with lower circulating absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) without increased risk for infection. It is found in ~66% of people identifying as Black or African American vs &lt;1% of people of Asian or European ancestry. Many ANC reference intervals (RI) are not representative of the Duffy null population. There are no adult Duffy null WBC RI and no pediatric Duffy null ANC or WBC RI. Thus, we aimed to assess Duffy null ANC and WBC distributions as well as develop WBC and ANC RI for adults and pediatrics. Methods: Twenty-three sites across the United States collected samples with all sites excluding participants with conditions or medications that could impact ANC or WBC. Only Duffy null participants were included. Sex, race, ethnicity, age, sample collection type, practice setting, Duffy testing method, ANC, and WBC were recorded. The non-parametric method for determining lower limit of normal (LLN), upper limit of normal (ULN), and 90% confidence intervals (CI) around the limits was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Specific ULN and LLN are not reported as these are preliminary data. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare sex and prior data; differences by age groups were assessed with Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: 316 participants 18+ years-old (y/o) were assessed of whom 62.3% (n=197) are female, 97.5% (n=308) identified as Black or African American, and 94.9% (n=300) identified as non-Hispanic. Median age was 47 y/o (IQR: 32-60.5). Median ANC was 2600/uL (IQR: 1860-3530; range: 400-7400); 28.6% (n=90) of participants had ANC &lt;2000/uL, 13.6% (n=43) had ANC &lt;1500/uL, and 2.5% (n=8) had &lt;1000/uL. The 90% CI around the LLN was 810-1070/uL and 5570-7130/uL around the ULN. Consistent with prior data, there was a difference in median ANC by sex (male: 2400/uL; female: 2710/uL; p=0.02). There was no significant difference between this ANC data and previously published Duffy null ANC data (p=0.28). Median WBC was 5.4x109/L (IQR: 4.4-6.5; range: 2.10-11.64) with 4.1% (n=13) of participants with WBC &lt;3.0x109/L. The 90% CI around the LLN is 3.68-4.30x109/L and 11.02-12.97x109/L around the ULN. 515 participants between 0-17 y/o were assessed with 51.8% (n=267) females, 94.8% (n=488) identified as Black or African American, and 94.0% (n=484) identified as non-Hispanic. Among pediatric participants, 56.8% (n=291) had ANC &lt;2000/uL, 38.7% (n=198) had ANC &lt;1500/uL, and 14.4% (n=74) had ANC &lt;1000/uL. For those &lt;1 y/o (n=29), median ANC was 950/uL (IQR: 840-1360; range: 111-3910). There are currently too few samples to predict ULN and LLN. Median WBC was 8.85x109/L (IQR: 7.03-10.16; range: 4.17-13.53). For those 1-5 y/o (n=143), median ANC was 1735/uL (IQR: 1100-2550; range: 207-5810) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 207-820/uL and 4020-5810/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 6.72x109/L (IQR: 5.64-8.25; range: 3.68-12.97). For those 6-11 y/o (n=128), median ANC was 1590/uL (IQR: 1090-2470; range: 420-5490) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 420-910/uL and 4340-5490/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.42x109/L (IQR: 4.45-6.70; range: 2.80-10.50). For those 12-17 y/o (n=215), median ANC was 2190/uL (IQR: 1460-2930; range: 204-5850) with a 90% CI around the LLN of 540-930/uL and 4350-5510/uL around the ULN. Median WBC was 5.06x109/L (IQR: 4.26-6.20; range of 2.04-9.91). There is a significant difference in ANC by age category (p&lt;0.0001). Conclusion: This is the first report of healthy pediatric Duffy null ANC and WBC data and the first large-scale verification of adult Duffy null ANC and WBC data. Final RI are expected in September 2025. Among adults with the Duffy null phenotype, ANC LLN are likely between 810-1070/uL. Pediatric ANC LLN are likely as low as 207-820/uL (1-5 y/o), 420-910/uL (6-11 y/o), and 540-930/uL (12-17 y/o). These findings redefine “normal” as a significant proportion of healthy participants have ANC or WBC below current RI or below thresholds typically defined as disease. Limitations include heterogeneous sample populations and collection methods. Future analyses will assess differences between collection sites or methods. Ultimately, this work lays the foundation for a more scientifically sound and equitable approach to medical care by ensuring that RI accurately reflects health for the entire community. Healthcare systems are strongly encouraged to adopt Duffy null-specific ANC and WBC RI.