European register of patients with sickle cell disease treated with hydroxyurea is being set up

BMJ 1998;317:541 ( 22 August )

Letters

European register of patients with sickle cell disease treated with hydroxyurea is being set up

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ In 1995 Charache et al showed conclusively in the United States that hydroxyurea ameliorates the clinical consequencesof sickle cell disease in most patients.¹ There is no biologicalreason to expect greatly different results in Britain. Moreover,there has not been any serious discussion at any meetings of Europeanor North American experts that has been in support of repeatingthe study. Doing so is not warranted from either the researchor costperspectives.

We were therefore surprised to read the editorial by Olujohungbe et al on hydroxyurea treatment for sickle cell disease inBritain.² Many reasons are cited for low patient recruitmentinto trials which necessarily will be aggravated in patient groupswho may already consider themselves misunderstood by society,³as is reported in sickle cell disease. In a pilot study of combinationtreatment with hydroxyurea and a short chain fatty acid, sodiumvalproate, we were able to . . . [Full text of this article]

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Hydroxyurea therapy for sickle cell disease in Britain: A Olujohungbe, Kornelia I Cinkotai, and A Yardumian
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