title: Medroxyprogesterone acetate and homozygous sickle-cell disease.
abstract: The haematological and clinical effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate in homozygous sickle-cell (SS) disease were assessed in a 2-year controlled crossover trial completed by 23 patients. Haematological indices remained steady during the placebo phase, but during the medroxyprogesterone-acetate phase fetal haemoglobin, total haemoglobin, red-cell mass, and red-cell survival rose significantly, and reticulocytes, irreversibly-sickled-cell counts, and total bilirubin fell significantly. Painful crises were significantly less frequent during the medroxyprogesterone-acetate than the placebo phase. These results are compatible with an inhibition of in-vivo sickling in patients with SS disease during medroxyprogesterone-acetate treatment. The mechanisms of such an effect require further study.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging / Q000187:drug effects; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone