Acute events in hospitalized patients with sickle cell anemia before and after the use of hydroxyurea

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the occurrence of acute events in hospitalized patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) before and after the use of hydroxyurea (HU). Method: The study has a quantitative approach, of analytical cohort type developed in two public referral hospitals in the Midwest region of Brazil, from November 2010 to October 2011. Data collection was performed on records of patients diagnosed with SCA. The interval time for the data collection was 30 years, which corresponded between 1980 and 2010. The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande/MS, Brazil, under protocol 1822/2010. Results: The sample had 32 medical records of hospitalized patients diagnosed with SCA who used HU. The mean age of the participants was 25.65±11.92; the average time of drug exposure was 6.0±2.8 years; the average initial dose was 17.00±5.3mg/kg/day and final dose of 22.10±5.3 mg/kg/day. After using HU, the fetal hemoglobin ranged from 8.41±0.95 to 14.44±13.7% (p<0.001). There was a reduction of the average leucocyte, absolute neutrophil, acute events, total infections and blood transfusions. Conclusion: The effects of HU exposure caused an increase in fetal hemoglobin level, decreasing leukocyte, absolute neutrophils and acute events, transfusions and hospitalizations by the use of non-opioid.