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Updated: May 8, 2026
05:23
Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
Hydroxyurea use and hospitalization trends in a comprehensive pediatric sickle cell program.
Kerri A Nottage1, Jane S Hankins, Matthew Smeltzer
1Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America. kerri.nottage@stjude.org
Plos One
|August 23, 2013
Summary
Hydroxyurea (HU) use in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients correlated with fewer hospitalizations and blood transfusions. This real-world data supports HU
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients on hydroxyurea (HU) show fewer hospitalizations compared to pre-HU periods.
- Paradoxically, HU recipients sometimes report more hospitalizations than untreated patients.
- This study examines HU's real-world impact on hospitalizations and transfusions in SCD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of increasing hydroxyurea (HU) usage on hospitalization and blood transfusion trends in a large sickle cell disease (SCD) cohort.
- To compare hospitalization and transfusion rates between HU-exposed and never-exposed SCD patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 508 patients (Hb SS or Hb Sβ⁰-thalassemia, aged 2-18) at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (2006-2010).
- Calculated annual hospitalizations and blood transfusions for HU-exposed and never-exposed groups.
- Compared hospitalization rates before and after HU initiation.
Main Results:
- Hydroxyurea (HU) use increased by 4% annually; HU recipients showed a modest decline in hospitalizations and hospital days.
- Patients never exposed to HU trended towards increased hospitalizations.
- Blood transfusions decreased in HU users but not in non-users; HU initiation was associated with one fewer admission annually.
Conclusions:
- Increased hydroxyurea (HU) usage in sickle cell disease (SCD) coincided with reduced hospitalizations and blood transfusions.
- Findings support the effectiveness of HU in decreasing SCD-related healthcare utilization outside clinical trials.
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