Hydration and analgesia, usually with narcotic analgesics, remain the cornerstones of management. 5 Narcotic analgesics have many attendant risks, the most important of which are suppression of ventilation and drug addiction. An alternate safe and effective therapy for treating painful crises is still awaited. Accepted for publication 30 November 1998. Received 23 June 1998.
Isoxsuprine hydrochloride is one such agent.
It is a smooth muscle relaxant and a potent uterine relaxant. It has also been found to improve the deformability of red blood cells and reduce platelet adhesion to damaged vessel walls. This was a prospective randomized double-blind comparative study to test the safety and efficacy of isoxsuprine hydrochloride in the treatment of sickle cell painful crises, as compared to the conventional treatment with narcotic analgesics. The study was conducted at Qatif Central Hospital over 10 months, from July 1993 to April 1994. None of the patients was on hydroxyurea or on chronic transfusion program.