title: Hydroxyurea for abnormal TCDs: safe to switch?
abstract: In this issue of Blood, Bernaudin et al report that chronic red blood cell transfusions can be safely replaced with hydroxyurea therapy or bone marrow transplantation for a cohort of children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and abnormal transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities. These data nicely complement the recently published results from the phase 3 multicenter TCD With Transfusions Changing to Hydroxyurea (TWiTCH) study and suggest that it may be safe to carefully transition a subset of patients from chronic transfusions to hydroxyurea therapy.
authors.affiliation: CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER.
authors.forename: Patrick T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: McGann
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
chemical_list: D006918:Hydroxyurea