Perspectives

CME Article: Need for Specialized Centers to Provide Acute Care to Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Authors: Sophie Lanzkron, MD, MHS

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder of the blood that leads to severe morbidity and early mortality. The best known burden of SCD is the vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). These acute, excruciatingly painful events are the leading cause of hospital and emergency department (ED) utilization1 and can be associated with such lethal and disabling complications as acute chest syndrome and stroke. The ED has been the standard location to which patients with SCD travel to seek care for the treatment of acute painful events. Although SCD is a rare disease in the United States, the burden of ED care and subsequent hospitalization is high and it is predominantly borne by adolescents and adults. The number of ED visits by patients with SCD has increased yearly, with a 28% increase since 2006.2

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