People with sickle cell disease (SCD) who were recently prescribed a corticosteroid—a medicine frequently used to treat asthma or inflammation—were found to be significantly more likely to be hospitalized for a severe pain event, according to a paper published today in the journal Blood. The research also found that older adults, women, and people who were not taking the drug hydroxyurea to manage their underlying SCD symptoms were the most likely to be hospitalized.
Corticosteroids raise the risk of hospitalization for pain crises among individuals living with sickle cell disease
People with sickle cell disease (SCD) who were recently prescribed a corticosteroid—a medicine frequently used to treat asthma or inflammation—were found to be significantly more likely to be hospitalized for a severe pain event, according to a paper published today in the journal Blood. The research also found that older adults, women, and people who were not taking the drug hydroxyurea to manage their underlying SCD symptoms were the most likely to be hospitalized.