There has been widespread speculation that patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) may become drug dependent if their painful crisis is treated with narcotics. However, there has been no scientific evidence to support this assertion. Paradoxically, individuals suffering from sickle cell disease who are not adequately treated may develop an addiction to narcotics due to self-medication to treat their pain. In this article, we describe a 38-year-old African American woman who became addicted to cocaine due to self-medication of her sickle cell pain with cocaine.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/7XMD-L45D-47DH-7MEC | DOI Listing |
Context: Anemia is a medical condition resulting from a reduction in the number of red blood cells below the reference range. It is a major public health problem, particularly among adolescents, as it can have negative effects on cognitive performance, growth and reproduction. This study aims to assess the determinants of anemia among adolescents in schools in the city of Douala.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacoecon Open
January 2025
Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Therapy, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe clinical complications and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) and patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) in Germany.
Methods: The Betriebskrankenkasse (BKKs) Database was used to identify patients with SCD or TDT. To be eligible for inclusion, patients with SCD were required to have ≥ 2 VOCs/year in any two consecutive years and ≥ 12 months of available data before and after the index date (second VOC in the second consecutive year).
Alzheimers Dement
December 2024
BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; RMIT, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is categorized as a complicated disorder of extreme fatigue lasting for at least six months without any underlying medical problem and currently has no concrete treatment regimen. This is associated with neurological complications like brain fog, insomnia, psychiatric disturbances and above all neuroinflammation. A chronic forced swim test model of CFS has been established since more than a decade at our laboratory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Mol Biosci
December 2024
Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, which encodes the beta-globin subunit of hemoglobin. This mutation leads to the production of abnormal hemoglobin S (HbS), causing red blood cells to deform into a sickle shape. These deformed cells can block blood flow, leading to complications like chronic hemolysis, anemia, severe pain episodes, and organ damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Haematol
January 2025
Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Grady Health System, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hemoglobinopathy in North America. The life expectancy of SCD has extended into adulthood with screenings, preventative care, and hydroxyurea. However, comorbidities arise as adults with SCD age, leading to early mortality.
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