Inflammatory Response to Hydroxyurea Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In sickle cell disease (SCD), polymerisation of haemoglobin S and the resulting shape change
of the red blood cells (RBC) lead to vascular occlusion and severe painful crises. Permanent
inflammatory state and abnormal RBC adhesion to the endothelium trigger these phenomenon.
Hydroxyurea (HU) is the only drug that has been shown to reduce clinical severity of SCD, and
this was initially attributed to the stimulation of foetal haemoglobin (HbF). However, the
clinical response does not correlate consistently with the degree and time of HbF increment,
suggesting that HU clinical benefits may involve other mechanisms such as the induction of
natural anti-inflammatory response via the hypothalami-pituitary-adrenal axis.