title: Hydroxyurea (HU) for prevention of recurrent stroke in sickle cell anemia (SCA).
abstract: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a major cause of morbidity and death in sickle cell anemia (SCA). Transfusion of packed erythrocytes is widely used to prevent this complication. However, chronic transfusion may lead to iron overload, alloimmunization, or infections. Cost and compliance may compromise transfusion therapy. A possible alternative, the prophylactic use of hydroxyurea (HU), has not been tried to determine whether it may prevent recurrent stroke. We used HU in five children with SCA who had suffered stroke, in three of them after a first episode and in the other two after a second CVA. Four had infarctive stroke and one a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Four patients took HU at a dose of 40 mg/kg/d, one patient at 30 mg/kg/d. None of the patients had recurrent stroke during 42-112 months of observation. None experienced pain crises. In all, HbF increased significantly and was maintained above 14.7% during treatment. The total Hb concentration increased 19.5 g/L (median) above the value before treatment. HU was well tolerated. None of the five children had leukopenia or thrombocytopenia during therapy. HU appears to prevent recurrence of stroke in SCA without risk of major toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Central Enrique Tejera, Section of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Universidad de Carabobo, Apartado Postal 917, Valencia-Carabobo, Venezuela. abrsumoza@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumoza
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Bisotti
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sumoza
authors.forename: Virgil
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fairbanks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000986:Antisickling Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle / Q000032:analysis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000986:Antisickling Agents; D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin; D006918:Hydroxyurea