Explaining the “Unexplained Anemia in Older Adults”: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Practice

Audience

Hematologists, Geriatricians, Primary Care Physicians, and NIH affiliated staff.

Dates

April 9, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
April 10, 2024 | 8:00 a.m. – 4:10 p.m. ET

Location

This hybrid workshop will be available for participants to attend in-person or join virtually through Zoom.

7201 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda,
Gateway Building, Conference Room E2500,
Bethesda, MD 20814

Purpose and Background

This workshop will identify the knowledge gaps and research opportunities leading to improved care for older patients with unexplained anemia of aging. The workshop will also cover discussions on Unexplained Anemia in Older Adults (UAA) from basic science to clinical trials and implementation.

Registration

Please register in advance for this workshop.

Register for this workshop

Agenda

Note: This agenda is in Eastern Time

Day 1 | Tuesday, April 9

9:00 a.m. NIA Introduction and welcoming remarks

9:15 a.m. Keynote Session: Characteristics of UAA: Challenges with the definition of UAA in the literature (Gap); Importance (clinical impact); context (co-morbidities), emphasis on Inflammation with aging, Luigi Ferrucci, M.D., Ph.D. (co-chair)

9:45 a.m. Session 1 | Impact of anemia on health in older adults

Moderator: Nahed El Kassar, M.D., Ph.D., NIA

  • Anemia and Frailty, Sean Leng, M.D., Ph.D., John Hopkins University
  • Multi-Morbidities and Anemia in Older Patients, Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D., M.P.H.
  • Break
  • Anemia and cognitive aging: an epidemiological perspective, Chengxuan Qiu, Ph.D., Karolinska Institutet; Sweden
  • Fatigability as a Predictor of Subclinical and Clinical Anemia in Well-Functioning Older Adults, Eleanor M. Simonsick. Ph.D., NIA

11:40 a.m. Panel discussion

12:15 p.m. Lunch Break

12:45 p.m. Session 2 | Pathophysiology of “Unexplained Anemia of Aging” Part 1

Moderators: John Williams, Ph.D., NIA

  • Review on “Anemia and Unexplained Anemia of Aging”: latest developments and treatments, Andy Artz, M.D., M.S., City of Hope, CA
  • The MDS Natural History Study: "A Study of Suspected MDS in Patients with Cytopenias.”, Mikkael Sekeres, M.D., University of Miami-Florida
  • The Role of Erythroblastic Islands in Anemia of Inflammation, Theodosia A Kalfa, M.D., PH.D., Cincinnati Children Hospital
  • Iron Trafficking and Homeostasis and its Relationship to Anemia of Aging, Tomas Ganz, M.D., PH.D., University of California, Los Angeles
  • Anemia in Chronic kidney disease and crossover into aging mineral metabolism, Kenneth White, Ph.D., University of Indiana
  • Break
  • Development of Geroscience-Guided Approaches to the Anemia of Aging, George Kuchel M.D., University of Connecticut
  • Estrogens promote hematopoietic regeneration, especially the myeloid, erythroid, and platelets through ER alpha: Daisuke Nakada, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine

3:55 p.m. Panel Discussion

4:35 p.m. Final Comments and Preparation for Day 2

5:00 p.m. Adjourn

Day 2 | Wednesday, April 10

8:00 a.m. Summary of Day 1, Luigi Ferrucci, M.D., Ph.D. (co-chair)

8:15 a.m. Keynote Session: The Clinical Interplay of Clonal Hematopoiesis with Unexplained Anemia of Aging-Why CHIP is important to diagnose?, Amy Elizabeth DeZern, M.D., M.H.S., John Hopkins University (co-chair)

8:35 a.m. Session 3 | Pathophysiology of “Unexplained Anemia of Aging” Part 2

Moderator: Nalini Raghavachari, Ph.D., NIA

  • From Clonal Hematopoiesis to MDS: when is it time for a clinical intervention?, Uma Borate, M.B.B.S., Columbus, Ohio
  • Microbiota-macrophage-iron axis regulates HSC fate decisions under stress conditions, Dachuan Zhang, Ph.D., Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
  • Somatic and Germline Genetic Determinants of Clonal Hematopoiesis and Progression to Hematologic Malignancies: link to Anemia of Aging, Kelly Bolton, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
  • Break
  • Molecular Mechanisms of Macrocytic Anemia in Older Adults, Janis Abkowitz, M.D., UW Medical Center - Montlake, Seattle, Washington
  • Losing sense of sense and surroundings: HSC aging and leukemic transformation, Isabel Beerman, Ph.D., NIA
  • Use of Artificial Intelligence for non-malignant hematology: example of the “A geno-clinical decision model for the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes”. Aziz Nazha, M.D., Incyte
  • Is MDS the equivalent of normal aging?, Michael Pfeilstöcker, M.D., Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria

11:25 a.m. Panel Discussion

12:00 p.m. Lunch Break

12:30 p.m. Session 4 | How to do successful and meaningful CTs in older patients with UAA

Moderator: Irina Sazonova, Ph.D., NIA

  • Challenges of doing CT in this space (Results from PACTTE with Androgens CT), Andy Artz, M.D., M.S., City of Hope, CA
  • PCORnet: A National Resource for Community-engaged Real World Research, Claudia Grossmann, Ph.D., PCORI and PCOR-net
  • The Roadmap to Integrate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Hematology Clinical Trials: An ASH Initiative, Alice Kuaban, M.S., American Society of Hematology
  • Efficient and Innovative Clinical Trial Methods, Maria M. Brooks, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
  • Break
  • Anemia in older adults-challenges in Real World Clinical Practice, William B. Ershler, Fairfax Hospital, Virginia

3:10 p.m. Panel discussion

4:00 p.m. Next steps

4:10 p.m. Adjourn

Contact Information

Please contact Nahed El Kassar for questions you may have about the workshop.

Reasonable Accommodations: If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in this event, please contact the meeting organizer listed under Contact information. Please make your request no later than 1 week before the event.