The management of pain in sickle cell disease

The pain of vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease is excruciating, i ncapacitating, and at times, refractory to even the most advanced analgesic treatments. The authors discuss the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease , define acute and chronic pain syndromes in sickle cell disease, and outli ne barriers to effective care. A comprehensive, multimodal approach to ther apy that includes education, cognitive therapies, anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, and psychostimulant adjuvant drugs is also provided.