Emergency care for children with sickle cell disease: a focus on pain and fever

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder affecting approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States and millions worldwide, characterized by acute vaso-occlusive pain episodes (VOEs) and other complications that frequently necessitate emergency department (ED) visits.

Despite therapeutic advancements, ED care remains a major concern, often cited by patients as the area of healthcare most in need of improvement. National guidelines have been established to ensure ideal emergency SCD care and management, however, these guidelines do not address barriers or facilitators that affect implementation in the complex ED setting. This review examines current diagnostic and management approaches for common SCD complications requiring ED utilization, particularly fever and pain in pediatric patients. It highlights the challenges children with SCD face in emergency care and the existing knowledge gaps. Despite guidelines recommending timely, individualized pain treatment, implementation remains inconsistent, resulting in prolonged suffering and increased hospitalizations.

Future research should focus on enhancing guideline adherence, reducing disparities, and developing targeted therapies. Novel biomarkers could improve early diagnosis, while standardized severity scoring systems may optimize triage and treatment decisions. Advancing biomarker research and investigational therapies beyond traditional supportive care holds promise for improving SCD management and patient outcomes.