Markers of severe vaso-occlusive painful episode frequency in children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify factors associated with frequent severe vaso-occlusive pain crises in a contemporary pediatric cohort of patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) enrolled in a prospective study of pulmonary hypertension and the hypoxic response in sickle cell disease.

Study design

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of children with SCA who had ≥3 severe pain crises requiring health care in the preceding year were compared with those of subjects with <3 such episodes.

Results

Seventy-five children (20%) reported ≥3 severe pain episodes in the preceding year, and 232 (61%) had none. Frequent pain episodes were associated with older age (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3; P < .0001), α-thalassemia trait (OR 3.5; 1.6-6.7; P = .002), higher median hemoglobin (OR 1.7; 95% C

SUBMITTER: Darbari DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3258348 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature