We could not confirm the superiority of the drug in decreasing hospital stay, as has been suggested in other reports. This was due to the fact that we included only patients with severe crises in our study. If it is effective for moderate crises in the emergency room, it may reduce the rate of hospital admissions. In summary, our study confirms the potential effectiveness of this relatively safe drug for the treatment of acute painful crises of sickle cell disease. This may be an important addition to the supply of drugs against this devastating problem.
Many questions still remain to be answered.
These include the optimal dosage, route of administration, duration of treatment and the mechanism of action during the vaso-occlusive episodes. Sickle cell crises. Multidisciplinary approach to pain management in sickle cell disease. Howard C. Isoxsuprine hydrochloride in the therapy of sickle cell leg ulceration. BMDP Statistical Software Version 1990.