Pain Management Issues as Part of the Comprehensive Care of Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Background Vaso-occlusive pain crisis is one of the primary complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) and is responsible for the majority of hospital visits in patients with SCD. Stints of severe pain can last for hours to days and are difficult to treat and manage, often resulting in drastically reduced quality of life. Purpose Our purpose is to provide an overview of pain management issues in SCD populations. Methods We explored literature using PubMed and Embase for the etiology and management of pain in SCD. Databases were searched employing the following terms: sickle cell, pain pathways, pain perception, pharmacological therapies, psychological therapies, physical therapies and genetics. Results Pain in SCD can vary from acute to chronic (persistent) or mixed and understanding of the underlying mechanisms is important for proper pain management. Currently, there are many means of managing pain in children with SCD, which involve pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. A combination of psychotherapy and pain medications can be used for treatment of pain and other psychosocial co-morbidities in complex persistent pain. Conclusions Providing more appropriate medication and optimal dosage based on individual's genomic variations is the future of medicine, and this will allow the physicians to hone in on optimal pain management in patients with SCD.