Hydroxyurea is used in the management of which condition to reduce pain episodes?

Hydroxyurea is used in the management of which condition to reduce pain episodes?

• A. Hydroxyurea.
• B. Aspirin.
• C. Prophylactic antibiotics.
• D. Bone marrow transplant.

Answer: (A)

Pain episodes in sickle cell disease come from vaso-occlusion caused by sickled red cells. A key way to lower the frequency of these crises is to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which inhibits the polymerization of HbS and thereby reduces sickling. Hydroxyurea does exactly that: it stimulates HbF production, which lowers the tendency of red cells to sickle. It also can reduce leukocyte counts and inflammation, further decreasing vaso-occlusion. By raising HbF and dampening factors that promote crises, hydroxyurea lowers the number of painful episodes in patients with sickle cell disease. Other options don’t modify the disease course to prevent crises. Aspirin may relieve pain temporarily but doesn’t reduce crisis frequency; prophylactic antibiotics prevent infections rather than vaso-occlusive pain; bone marrow transplant can cure the disease but carries significant risks and is not a standard preventive measure for reducing pain episodes.

Pain episodes in sickle cell disease come from vaso-occlusion caused by sickled red cells. A key way to lower the frequency of these crises is to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which inhibits the polymerization of HbS and thereby reduces sickling.

Hydroxyurea does exactly that: it stimulates HbF production, which lowers the tendency of red cells to sickle. It also can reduce leukocyte counts and inflammation, further decreasing vaso-occlusion. By raising HbF and dampening factors that promote crises, hydroxyurea lowers the number of painful episodes in patients with sickle cell disease.

Other options don’t modify the disease course to prevent crises. Aspirin may relieve pain temporarily but doesn’t reduce crisis frequency; prophylactic antibiotics prevent infections rather than vaso-occlusive pain; bone marrow transplant can cure the disease but carries significant risks and is not a standard preventive measure for reducing pain episodes.