Current issues in sickle cell pain and its management

Pain is the insignia of sickle cell disease and the acute painful crisis is the number-one cause of hospital admissions. Tissue damage due to vaso-occlusion releases numerous inflammatory mediators that initiate the transmission of painful stimuli and the perception of pain. The acute sickle cell painful crisis evolves along four distinct phases coupled with changes in certain markers of the disease. Hospital readmission within 1 week occurs in about 16% of discharged patients. Failure to treat acute pain aggressively may lead to chronic pain syndrome. Management of sickle pain is primarily pharmacologic in nature, and opioids are the analgesics used most often. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of opioids explain individual differences among patients and justify the use of individualized treatment plans.