Salma has completed her PhD at the age of 32 years from The University of Manchester, UK. She has published 8 articles in reputed journals.

Coagulation involves the regulated sequence of proteolytic activation of a series of zymogens to achieve an appropriate and timely hemostasis in an injured vessel in an environment that favors an anticoagulant state. Alteration of hemostatic balance between the prothrombotic and antithrombotic factors can result in insufficient inhibition of coagulation ‘thrombosis’ or bleeding due to excessive antithrombotic treatment. Fibrin is the key component of thrombi and anticoagulant drugs that reduce thrombin formation are effective in both prevention and treatment of thrombosis. Therefore, an increased circulating level of coagulation factor is a must for treatment mechanisms of both venous and arterial thrombosis. The existing anticoagulants may have only limited effects due to their modest therapeutic benefits, increased bleeding risks, narrow clinical applications, and drug-induced thrombophilia. However, some new oral anticoagulants, when administered optimally, are associated with significant anti-ischemic benefits and lower bleeding risk when compared with heparin and vitamin K antagonists. Since factor IX (FIX) plays a key role in tissue factor-mediated thrombin production, it may represent a promising target for drug development. This review aims to summarize the current data for FIX and its role in the development of thrombosis (although thrombosis is a platelet-centric process and FIX may not have any direct and specific effect on platelets).

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common blood disorders typically inherited from one’s parents. It is presented with a wide variety of clinical symptoms, and varied degrees of severity that can be determined based on the phase during which the disease is diagnosed, the age of the patient, number of hospitalizations in the past, requirement for continuous drug use and for blood transfusions, in addition to several other factors. It is highly critical that the physicians should be aware of the oral manifestations and physiopathology of the disease. Additionally, the dental surgeons should cautiously obtain the patient’s clinical history and collect information about specific features so that they can build up a plan for any dental treatment that is in accordance to the patient’s limitations and requirements. Maintaining a complete chart recording the general patient information along with periodically updating the medical history of the patient should be practiced by all the physicians. The treatment strategy should focus on the achievement and maintenance of oral health and to decrease the risks of dental complications. The literature summarizes the treatment of dental complications in patients with SCD.

S M AlDallal has completed her PhD at University of Manchester, UK. She has published 14 articles in reputed journals and has experience in Haematology & Blood Bank Laboratory. She has also published several papers in national and multi-national journals. She is the senior of training courses of haematology technicians at general hospital laboratory in Kuwait.