Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

Children with sickle cell disease frequently have painful episodes that can require hospitalization for a few days. Physicians want to treat those episodes quickly to eliminate pain and get a child back home and back to school as quickly as possible, and now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that using the drug methadone might eliminate the pain more quickly. Methadone frequently is used to treat cancer pain and is a well-known treatment for addiction. But it also may be useful treating the severe pain associated with sickle cell disease. TREATING PAIN FROM SICKLE CELL DISEASE CAN BE DIFFICULT. CHILDREN WITH THE DISEASE OFTEN HAVE SEVERE PAIN EPISODES THAT CAN REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION. BUT NOW RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND ST. LOUIS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL HAVE FOUND THAT ADDING METHADONE TO OTHER PAIN KILLERS CAN RELIVE SICKLE CELL PAIN MORE QUICKLY IN CHILDREN AND MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOUNGER PATIENTS GET HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL SOONER.