Management of Complications of Chronic Liver Disease: “When to Refer to Transplant?”
Only one randomized trial, the Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea for Sickle Cell Anemia
(MSH Study), tested the efficacy of hydroxyurea in adults with sickle cell anemia, with six
additional analyses either based on this trial or on followup studies. The significant
hematological effects of hydroxyurea after 2 years (as compared to the placebo arm) included a
small mean increase of 0.6 g/dl in total hemoglobin and a moderate absolute increase in fetal
hemoglobin of 3.2 percent. The median number of painful crises was 44 percent lower, and the
time to the first painful crisis was 3 months, as compared...