Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40478853›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

The TMA team and TTP pathway improved outcomes in a cohort with Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Samuel A Merrill, Stephen Yu, Sylvia E Webber, John Gotses, Emma L Platt, Ruta Arays, Aaron D Shmookler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Samuel A MerrillDepartment of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-1832-3161
Stephen YuDepartment of Oncology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, United States of America.
Sylvia E WebberDepartment of Oncology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, United States of America.
John GotsesSection of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, United States of America.
Emma L PlattDepartment of Pharmacy, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.
Ruta AraysDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America.
Aaron D ShmooklerDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-7789-7184

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProviding optimal care for patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is challenging because of multiple involved specialties, knowledge gaps, and a high rate of disease relapse. A thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) Team and TTP Pathway could improve outcomes.

objectivesTo assess if a structured TTP Pathway, supported by a TMA Team, improved TTP care by reducing TTP relapse and TTP-related death (TTP-RRD) at a rural Appalachian medical center.

methodsProspective cohort quality improvement project using the DMAIC quality improvement framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to develop a TMA Team and TTP Pathway. Pathway care included standardized use of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), rituximab, caplacizumab, as well as improved coordination between medical services, and regular outpatient biochemical TTP surveillance. Outcomes were determined by retrospective chart review for patients with acute TTP treated with usual care (N = 16 episodes) and the TTP Pathway (N = 16 episodes). RESULTS AND

conclusionsAll patients had acquired TTP. TTP-RRD at 90 days was reduced from 69% with usual care to 6% with Pathway care (95% CI 0.35 to 0.90, P = 0.0004), a relative risk reduction of 91%; TTP relapse alone at 90 days was reduced from 62% to 0% (95% CI 0.36 to 0.88, P = 0.0002) with Pathway care. The number needed to treat to prevent TTP-RRD was 1.59 at 90 days. Over the project duration usual care demonstrated a hazard ratio for TTP-RRD of 12.58 compared to Pathway care. With the intervention, the duration of TPE was increased (median 6 vs 12 sessions, P < 0.05), as was use of rituximab (31.3% vs 93.8%, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.88, P = 0.003), and caplacizumab (6.3% vs 62.5%, 95% CI -0.027 to -0.81, P = 0.001). All Pathway patients underwent biochemical surveillance, and 31% had pre-emptive rituximab to reduce possibility of clinical relapse. A structured TTP Pathway significantly reduces morbidity and aligns care with modern clinical guidelines. The TMA Team is a valuable institutional resource to improve outcomes.

Indexed as

Patient Care TeamPurpura, Thrombotic ThrombocytopenicThrombotic MicroangiopathiesAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPlasma ExchangeProspective StudiesQuality ImprovementRecurrenceRetrospective StudiesRituximabSingle-Domain AntibodiescaplacizumabRituximabSingle-Domain Antibodies

Identifiers

PMID40478853
PMCPMC12143514

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.