Efficacy and Safety of Hydroxyurea in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia Children in Jos, North Central Nigeria

• Published in: Blood 2018-11, Vol.132 (Supplement 1), p.1081-1081
• Main Authors: Ofakunrin, Akinyemi Olugbenga David, Adekola, Kehinde U., Oguche, Stephen, Okpe, Edache Sylvanus, Sagay, Atiene Solomon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-99-115598

Introduction: Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) is a genetic disorder with significant morbidity and mortality, and Nigeria accounts for the highest burden of the disease worldwide. Hydroxyurea has been shown to positively modify the disease pathogenesis, but its use is low among Nigerian SCA patients because of efficacy and safety concerns. Hence, this study evaluated the efficacy, tolerability and safety of hydroxyurea in Nigerian children with SCA. Methods: A Quasi-experimental study with a before and after design using hydroxyurea as the intervention in 54 SCA children aged 4-17years, who have had at least two or more painful vaso-occlusive events requiring parenteral analgesia in the previous 12 months. The number of Vaso-Occlusive Crisis (VOC), Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS), blood transfusions and hospitalisations in the previous 12 months obtained from the subjects' hospital records; and percentage fetal haemoglobin, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), White Blood Cell Counts (WBC) and Platelet Counts at baseline and after 12 months of hydroxyurea therapy were compared.The research participants were observed clinically for tolerability and adverse events of hydroxyurea while haematologic toxicity of hydroxyurea was monitored using complete blood count at specified intervals. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was used to compare the differences in the median values of the clinical and haematologic parameters at baseline and after 12 months of hydroxyurea therapy and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The number of VOCs and hospitalisations reduced from the median baseline values of 3(2-3) and 2(2-3) respectively to 0(0), (p