CLINICAL NEWS
Study Provides More Support for
Hydroxyurea Use in Patients With
Sickle Cell Disease
Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) should be treated
with the maximum tolerated dose of hydroxyurea to
reduce the risk of organ damage over the course of the
disease, according to a report from the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute. These findings, published in
PLoS One, lend further credence to the recommendations
the agency set forth in its 2014 guidelines on the management of SCD.
Hydroxyurea is the only disease-modifying treatment
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for
the treatment of SCD. Yet, it is used inconsistently among
this patient population. Previous studies that examined
the patterns of hydroxyurea treatment reported conflicting results about the outcomes and dose-dependent
effects of adhering – or not adhering – to therapy.
RESPOND
with the power of significantly
improved progression-free