National trends in hospitalizations for sickle cell disease in the United States following the FDA approval of hydroxyurea, 1998-2008.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can suffer frequent hospital admissions for painful vasoocclusive crises. Hydroxyurea was approved by the FDA in 1998 to decrease the morbidity of SCD, but nationwide hospitalizations for SCD in the United States since 1998 have not been evaluated. We hypothesized that the availability of hydroxyurea for SCD would be associated with a decrease in hospitalizations for SCD over time.

Objective

To assess trends in hospitalization and length-of-stay in hospital for SCD in the United States, 1998 through 2008.

Research design

Retrospective cohort study of SCD-related hospital discharges in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of US hospital discharges.

Subjects

All discharges in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample associated

SUBMITTER: Okam MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4177169 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature