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195 active trials for Sickle Cell Disease

Preliminary Feasibility and Efficacy of Behavioral Intervention to Reduce Pain-Related Disability in Pediatric SCD

Pain is the primary complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), including vaso-occlusive crises and more persistent, chronic pain. SCD-related pain is associated with significant functional impairment, spanning poor school attendance, decreased quality of life, and stress and mood difficulties. Pharmacological approaches are the first-line treatment for SCD-related pain, but these can be costly and have unwanted side effects. Given limitations from pharmacological approaches and the influence that poor behavioral responses have on disease management and health outcomes suggest a critical need for alternative and adjunctive treatments. Due to gaps in available behavioral treatments specifically designed for addressing common challenges associated with pain management in pediatric SCD, the investigators developed a manualized behavioral therapy protocol by tailoring existing evidence-based treatments. The overall goal of the intervention is to reduce the impact of pain on daily functioning in pediatric SCD. This study will empirically test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this intervention for youth with SCD. Children and adolescents with SCD between the ages of 8 and 17 years old (n=20) will be recruited to complete the treatment protocol. Feasibility will be assessed by examining participation and program completion rates, as well as feedback from a treatment acceptability questionnaire and qualitative interview. Participants will complete baseline assessments, weekly questionnaires, and post-treatment assessments (post-intervention assessment, follow-up time points: 1-month following the intervention, and 3-months following the intervention).

Start: September 2020
Lidocaine Intravenous in the Emergency Department For Sickle Cell Crisis

Sickle cell crisis continues to be a frequent presentation to emergency departments. Patients presenting will often require immediate treatment for their pain and often times this will include opioids. The opioid epidemic has cost thousands of lives; and continues to be a significant problem posing several challenges when treating patients presenting with sickle cell disease. Primarily, opioids remain the mainstay of treatment for these patients and the push to address the opioid crisis may present challenges for adequate opioid administration in patients suffering from a sickle cell crisis while hospitals find ways to curb the opioid crisis overall. Opioid treatment for patients in acute vaso-occlusive crisis has significantly contributed to quality of life and life expectancy of patients with this diagnosis. Measures should continue to attempt to administer a multi-model approach to sickle cell patients to minimize the morphine milligram equivalents in these patients while also successfully addressing the patient's pain. IV lidocaine is a pain medication that has been evaluated in several painful experiences, such as in renal colic. A few case reports have shown IV lidocaine use in sickle cell can be a potential effective adjunct medication to opioids to treat pain and reduce further opioid requirements. Currently, no prospective controlled trial exists to evaluate the true benefit of IV lidocaine in this population. Our study aims to evaluate IV lidocaine as an adjunct to opioid treatment in the emergency department to determine if improved pain is achieved and if there is a reduction in overall morphine milligram equivalents throughout the emergency department visit.

Start: November 2020
Risk Clinical Stratification of Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria, Assessment of Efficacy/Safety of Hydroxyurea Treatment

The vast majority of births with sickle cell disease (SCD) occur in Africa and 90% are thought to die before the age of five. Hydroxyurea (HU) is the only drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of sickle cell anemia. Although HU is used to treat small numbers of patients in Africa, cost, fear of toxicity, and lack of awareness and availability limit its use. The leukopenia that may be seen with HU raises the possibility of increased susceptibility to infection. Risk stratification - i.e., identification of patients most likely to benefit- could focus therapy and provide confidence that the risk:benefit ratio is favorable. Several clinical measures of future risk are well defined and findings on modifier genes in the US, primarily related to fetal hemoglobin (HbF), have further improved risk prediction. Whether the genetic variants predict severity in Africa is not known. The investigators have established a SCD cohort in Ibadan, Nigeria. In the first phase of this research the investigators will implement clinical risk examinations and assess the relationship between clinical characteristics (including levels of HbF) and known genetic markers. As a proxy for a birth cohort, the investigators will compare the frequency of the genetic markers in adult patients (i.e., "survivors") to children. In the second phase the investigators will randomize 40 high risk adult patients to fixed low dose HU or no HU treatment in a crossover design and monitor hematologic and physiologic parameters to document hematologic effects and safety. This work will lay the basis for a large-scale trial to document safety and efficacy.

Start: December 2014