Sickle Cell Pain

Sickle Cell Pain is a panoramic, in-depth exploration of every scientific, human, and social dimension of this cruel disease. This comprehensive, definitive work is unique in that it is the only book devoted to sickle cell pain, as opposed to general aspects of the disease. The 752-page book links sickle cell pain to basic, clinical, and translational research, addressing various aspects of sickle pain from molecular biology to the psychosocial aspects of the disease. Supplemented with patient narratives, case studies, and visual art, Sickle Cell Pain’s scientific rigor extends through its discussion of analgesic pharmacology, including abuse-deterrent formulations. The book also addresses in great detail inequities in access to care, stereotyping and stigmatization of patients, the implications of rapidly evolving models of care, and recent legislation and litigation and their consequences.

Advances over the past two decades have enabled physicians to revolutionize the manner in which they can assess and manage children’s pain. Thirty years ago it was thought that young children did not experience pain and therefore it was not necessary to treat it. Today professionals from a variety of disciplines have contributed data that have revolutionized medical perspectives. Technological advances now enable doctors to treat acute pain in fetuses, premature neonates, infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with increasing precision and efficacy. Research highlighting the context of chronic pain has moved them away from a mind-body dichotomy and toward an integrated, holistic perspective that leads to substantial improvement in children’s adaptive functioning as well as subjective discomfort. This book covers these topics and is intended for anyone who provides medical care to children. Each chapter provides an overview of the problem, followed by a "hands on" description of relevant assessment and intervention strategies. The role of the primary care practitioner is highlighted, both as a front-line resource as well as a consumer of specialized pediatric pain treatment services. Each chapter ends with a summary and specific bullet points highlighting the most central elements, making for quick and easy reference.

This book addresses a wide range of clinically relevant topics and issues in sickle cell disease. This is written by experts in their own field offering a robust, engaging discussion about the presentations and mechanisms of actions in the multiple complications associated with sickle cell disease. This first of the series addresses pain, which is considered the hallmark of sickle cell presentation. It looks at the basic mechanism of pain in sickle cell disease. A more detailed review of precision medicine gives a clear well laid out presentation that is incisive and yet gives in-depth detail relevant to both the clinician and the researcher in the basic laboratory. The same pattern is shown in the discussion on respiratory, cardiac and neurological complications. The 14 chapters also include an overview of sickle cell disease especially in the paediatric age. The content is organized into well-designed broad sections on overview regarding diagnosis including point of care and the role of digital apps in patient management. A key aspect of the book is the opportunity it affords expert physicians to express well-reasoned opinions regarding complex issues in sickle cell disease. The readership would find that it provides a well-described, concise and immediate applicable answers to complex questions. This is highly recommended for scientists and clinicians alike.

Like management of disease, management of pain is as old as the human race. When patients come to us with their pain, they present us with a wonderful opportunity: the chance to understand them, to understand how their pain is affecting their lives, the challenge of discovering what is causing their pain, and finally the opportunity to prescribe medications and lifestyle changes to help them gain relief from their pain. It is hoped that this book will provide the latest evidence-based updates on pain management in special circumstances and will serve as a ready reference for those embarking on pain management. Its intent is not to be a heavy book that can only be stored on a bookshelf, but a pocket-sized reference that can be carried, be easily navigated, and be available whenever a conceptual gap compromises pain physicians and their ability to treat their patients.

Within the last few years, iron research has yielded exciting new insights into the under standing of normal iron homeostasis. However, normal iron physiology offers little protec tion from the toxic effects of pathological iron accumulation, because nature did not equip us with effective mechanisms of iron excretion. Excess iron may be effectively removed by phlebotomy in hereditary hemochromatosis, but this method cannot be applied to chronic anemias associated with iron overload. In these diseases, iron chelating therapy is the only method available for preventing early death caused mainly by myocardial and hepatic iron toxicity. Iron chelating therapy has changed the quality of life and life expectancy of thalassemic patients. However, the high cost and rigorous requirements of deferoxamine therapy, and the significant toxicity of deferiprone underline the need for the continued development of new and improved orally effective iron chelators. Such development, and the evolution of improved strategies of iron chelating therapy require better understanding of the pathophysiology of iron toxicity and the mechanism of action of iron chelating drugs. The timeliness of the present volume is underlined by several significant develop ments in recent years. New insights have been gained into the molecular basis of aberrant iron handling in hereditary disorders and the pathophysiology of iron overload (Chapters 1-5).

Sickle cell disease can be severe and disabling. When properly treated, patients live longer and with better quality life. This is a US government publication intended to provide evidence-based guidelines for the care of these patients for the use of all concerned providers as well as patients and family members. This book is available in print here for convenience.

This book tells her story about herself and her experiences in parenting a child with sickle cell anemia. Her daughter, Penny, was born with sickle cell anemia and is now a thirty-four-year-old mom of one six-year-old son, Diyaari. Despite their challenges, they have lived a happy and comfortable life and will continue to do so for many more years. (Angie and Penny together forever). The author is also known as Angie, her grandmothers name. This book is just a sneak peek into information and my experiences with sickle cell.