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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
Evidence-based mini-review: Are systemic corticosteroids an effective treatment for acute pain in sickle cell
1Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. vblack4@jhmi.edu
Abstract:
An 18-year-old African-American male with sickle cell disease (SCD) is admitted to the hospital with a vaso-occlusive pain crisis affecting his chest and right upper extremity. He has a history of asthma but does not have a fever or respiratory symptoms, and a chest X-ray is negative for an infiltrate. He is treated with intravenous fluids and morphine. You are asked about the potential efficacy of systemic corticosteroids as an adjunctive treatment for pain control.
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