Recent treatment guidelines for managing adult patients with sickle cell disease: challenges in access to care, social issues, and adherence

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Advances in research, medical care, and public health practice have led to individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) living into adulthood. However, premature mortality persists in youth and young adults with SCD, and adults with SCD are subjected to increased disease burden, organ damage, pain, and disruptions in family and work life.

Areas covered: These issues have led to inappropriate utilization of hospital resources, significantly increasing costs related to prolonged inpatient stays, high readmission rates, and increased emergency room visits.

Expert commentary: Steps are being taken to address these challenges to improve care, including development of evidence-based guidelines targeted to primary care providers, innovative care models, and programs to prepare adolescents for transition to adult care. Previous and current guidelines, as well as health-care policies and practices, for treatment of adults with SCD are reviewed.

KEYWORDS:

• Adult
• guidelines
• hospitalization
• sickle cell complications
• sickle cell disease
• transition

Declaration of interests

P Adams-Graves is a speaker and consultant for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. L Bronte-Jordan is a speaker bureau member for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript and performed by Jennifer Lee, PhD, of Phase Five Communications, who provided medical editorial assistance, which was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.