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Sibling history of asthma is a risk factor for pain in children with sickle cell anemia

Joshua J Field1, Eric A Macklin, Yan Yan

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. jfield@im.wustl.edu

American Journal of Hematology
|September 27, 2008
PubMed

Insights

A family history of asthma, particularly in siblings, is linked to increased pain rates in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Parental asthma history showed no significant association with pain frequency in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Pulmonology
  • Pain Medicine

Background:

  • Asthma and increased pain are observed in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA), but the underlying reasons are not fully understood.
  • A familial link, including genetic or environmental factors, is hypothesized to contribute to this association.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between a family history of asthma and the rate of pain experienced by children with SCA.
  • To determine if sibling or parental asthma history influences pain frequency in pediatric SCA patients.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Cooperative Study for Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD).
  • Identified 211 children with SCA who had documented asthma history in parents or siblings.
  • Analyzed the relationship between family asthma history and pain rates using statistical models.

Main Results:

  • A sibling history of asthma was significantly associated with a greater rate of pain in children with SCA (mean rate ratio = 2.48, P < 0.001).
  • Parental history of asthma did not show a significant association with increased pain rates (mean ratio = 1.51, P = 0.12).

Conclusions:

  • Sibling asthma history may indicate a familial predisposition to increased pain in children with SCA.
  • Further research is necessary to explore genetic and environmental factors contributing to asthma and pain in pediatric SCA.
  • Understanding these familial links can inform targeted interventions for pain management in children with SCA.

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