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Higher oxygen saturation with hydroxyurea in paediatric sickle cell disease
Lisa van Geyzel1, Michele Arigliani2, Baba Inusa3
1Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Hydroxyurea (HU) improves overnight and daytime oxygen saturation in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). This suggests HU may help treat hypoxemia in pediatric SCD patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common inherited disorder causing significant morbidity and reduced lifespan.
- Hypoxemia and nocturnal oxygen desaturations are frequent in children with SCD, increasing risks like cerebrovascular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of hydroxyurea (HU) on overnight and daytime oxygen saturation levels in pediatric patients with SCD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of children with SCD and respiratory issues treated with HU at UK tertiary clinics.
- Longitudinal data collected up to 3 years before and after HU initiation.
Main Results:
- In children with comparable sleep studies, mean overnight SpO2 increased from 93.5% to 95.2% (p=0.01) and nadir SpO2 from 84.3% to 87.2% (p=0.009) on HU.
- Daytime spot oxygen saturations also showed improvement, rising from 93.5% to 96.3% (p=0.001) in 32 children on HU.
Conclusions:
- Hydroxyurea treatment is associated with improved overnight and daytime oxygen saturation in children with SCD.
- These findings suggest HU could be beneficial for managing persistent hypoxemia in pediatric SCD, warranting further randomized trials.
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