Managing the acutely ill adult with sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessively inherited condition, affecting the structure of the haemoglobin. SCD is a long-term chronic condition which is manifested by periods of acute painful sickling crisis, known as vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and is the cause of 90% of sickle cell-related hospital admissions. SCD is one of the most common genetic conditions worldwide and in the UK there are approximately 12,500 people living with it (Streetly et al,1997; Howard et al, 2008), making it more common than cystic fibrosis, yet there still remains many challenges in managing these patients when they become acutely ill. Lack of awareness and understanding of the illness, concerns regarding addiction and limited attention to the psycho-social implications of the illness, leads to less than effective care for this patient group when they are hospitalized. The aims of this article are to outline the pathophysiology of SCD, identify the causes of VOC and discuss the key principles of nursing management for patients experiencing a VOC.