Approach to the vaso-occlusive crisis in adults with sickle cell disease

The vaso-occlusive crisis, or sickle cell crisis, is a common painful complication of sickle cell disease in adolescents and adults. Acute episodes of severe pain (crises) are the primary reason that these patients seek medical care in hospital emergency departments. Frequently, however, the pain is incompletely treated. Despite advances in pain management, physicians are often reluctant to give patients adequate dosages of narcotic analgesics because of concerns about addiction, tolerance and side effects. It is important to recognize a pain crisis early, correct the inciting causes, control pain, maintain euvolemia and, when necessary, administer adequate hemoglobin to decrease the hemoglobin S level. The family physician and the hematologist must work together to treat acute pain episodes promptly and effectively, manage the long-term sequelae of chronic pain and prevent future vaso-occlusive crises.