Evaluation of the effect of voxelotor and darbepoetin alfa on hemoglobin levels in patients with sickle cell disease

ABSTRACT

Background

To date, there is limited evidence on patients utilizing both voxelotor and darbepoetin alfa and its impact on hemoglobin levels. The objective is to evaluate the effect of voxelotor and darbepoetin alfa on hemoglobin levels in patients with SCD.

Research design and methods

This was a retrospective chart review study that assessed the primary independent variable as the utilization of either voxelotor alone, darbepoetin alfa alone, or the concurrent administration of voxelotor and darbepoetin alfa. Descriptive statistics were utilized to obtain the mean standard deviation for numerical variables and proportions for categorical variables.

Results

A total of 23 participants were included in this study. When comparing baseline to 2 months and 3 months, participants on voxelotor alone experienced a 3% decrease and a 6.6% increase in hemoglobin, darbepoetin alfa alone group a 4.3% decrease and a 0.6% increase in hemoglobin and voxelotor and darbepoetin group a 4.4% decrease and a 0.5% decrease in hemoglobin levels. Fifty percent of the participants in the voxelotor group and 6 (66.7%) participants in the voxelotor plus darbepoetin alfa group experienced adverse drug events.

Conclusions

Voxelotor resulted in a clinically significant difference in the percent change of hemoglobin from baseline to 3 months.

KEYWORDS:

• Sickle cell disease
• voxelotor
• darbepoetin alfa
• anemia
• hemoglobin levels

Declaration of interest

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.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

S Weaver and L Wingate conceptualized and designed the study, H Akinwale and S Weaver wrote the initial draft of the article, and H Akinwale and L Weaver performed data analysis. S Weaver, NP Nkem, and L Wingate contributed in responses to the reviewers’ comments and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Acknowledgments

The abstract was presented at: the 57^th ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition; 2022 Dec 4-8; Las Vegas.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.