Acupuncture for pain management in children with sickle cell disease. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mahmood, Laila A.; Reece-Stremtan, Sarah; Idiokitas, Risi; Martin, Brenda; Margulies, Stefanie; Hardy, Steven J.; Bost, James E.; Darbari, Deepika S.
• Is Part Of: Complementary therapies in medicine. Volume 49(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: SCD sickle cell disease -- VOCs vaso-occlusive pain crises; Sickle cell disease -- Pain -- Acupuncture -- Opioids; Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; Complementary Therapies -- Periodicals; Médecines parallèles -- Périodiques; Thérapeutique -- Périodiques; Alternative medicine; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 615.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.102287
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-2299

Abstract

Highlights: The study retrospectively evaluated acupuncture experience in children with sickle cell disease. Acupuncture therapy was well tolerated and was associated with reduction in pain scores. Acupuncture may be useful as an adjuvant modality for pain control in children with sickle cell disease. Abstract: Pain associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) is frequently treated with opioids which have many side effects. There is a need for adjuvant non-opioid therapies that can improve pain control. Acupuncture, an integrative approach, has been shown to be useful in non-SCD pain conditions but has been used to a very limited extent in SCD. In this report we present a single academic pediatric center experience showing acceptability, feasibility and improved pain experience with adjuvant acupuncture therapy in children with SCD and suggest that acupuncture should be explored as a treatment option for managing pain in SCD.