Treating Sickle Cell Pain like Cancer Pain
Authors: Samir K. Ballas, Ronald N. Rubin, Thomas C. Gabuzda
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1992)

Letters1 August 1992Treating Sickle Cell Pain like Cancer PainSamir K. Ballas, MD, Ronald N. Rubin, MD, Thomas C. Gabuzda, MDSamir K. Ballas, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Ronald N. Rubin, MDSearch for more papers by this author, Thomas C. Gabuzda, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-117-3-263 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the Editors:We read with interest the article by Brookoff and Polomano (1) about treating sickle cell pain like cancer pain. This concept is not new (2). Sickle cell disease is heterogeneous and varies from very mild to very severe. The exact diagnosis of the patients studied and their fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) level were not mentioned by Brookoff and Polomano. Patients with sickle cell anemia or sickle-β0;-thalassemia tend to have more frequent painful crises than patients with sickle cell Hb disease or sickle-β+-thalassemia (3). Moreover, several factors may moderate the severity of sickle cell anemia (3, 4). Patients...References1. BrookoffPolomano DR. Treating sickle cell pain like cancer pain. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:364-8. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Dallas S. Treatment of pain in adults with sickle cell disease. Am J Hematol. 1990;34:49-54. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. PiattThoringtonBrambillaMilnerRosseVichinsky OBDPWE. Pain in sickle cell disease: rates and risk factors. N Engl J Med. 1991;325:11-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. BellasLamerSmithSchwartzRappaport SJEEE. Rheologic predictors of the severity of the painful sickle cell crisis. Blood. 1988;72:1216-23. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar1. BrookoffPolomano DR. Treating sickle cell pain like cancer pain. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:364-8. LinkGoogle Scholar1. BrookoffPolomano DR. Treating sickle cell pain like cancer pain. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:364-8. LinkGoogle Scholar2. PayneMaxSunshineInturrisiMiser RMACA. Principles of Analgesic Use in the Treatment of Acute Pain and Chronic Cancer Pain. 2nd edition. Skokie, Illinois: American Pain Society; 1989. Google Scholar3. Brookoff D. Controlled-release formulations have less potential for abuse than other opioid medications [Abstract]. Ann Emerg Med. 1992;21:663. Google Scholar4. MarksSachar RE. Undertreatment of medical inpatients with narcotic analgesics. Ann Intern Med. 1973;78:173-81. LinkGoogle Scholar5. . Cancer Pain Relief. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1986. Google Scholar1. BrookoffPolomano DR. Treating sickle cell pain like cancer pain. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:364-8. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Portenoy R. Chronic opioid therapy in nonmalignant pain. J Pain Symptom Management. 1990;5:S46-62. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Melzack R. The tragedy of needless pain. Scientific American. 1990; 162:19-25. Google Scholar4. ZenzStrumpfTryba MMM. Long-term oral opioid therapy in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain. J Pain Symptom Management. 1992;7:69-77. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Kjaersgaard-AndersenNafeiSkovMadsenAndersenKroner PAOFHK. Codeine plus paracetamol versus paracetamol in longer-term treatment of chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of the hip: a randomised double-blind, multi-centre study. Pain. 1990;43:309-18. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByDifferences in Sensory Pain, Expectation, and Satisfaction Reported by Outpatients with Cancer or Sickle Cell DiseaseDrepa-Opia: A Pilot Study to Determine the Predictive Factors of Morphine Use and Consumption in Hospitalized Adult Patients with Sickle Cell DiseaseSickle cell pain: a critical reappraisal 1 August 1992Volume 117, Issue 3Page: 263-265KeywordsAnemiaHemoglobinSickle cell disease Issue Published: 1 August 1992 PDF DownloadLoading ...